Facile synthesis of anisotropic gold nanoparticles and its synergistic effect on breast cancer cell lines.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) possess colourful light-scattering properties due to different composition, size and shape. Their unique physical, optical and chemical properties coupled with advantages, have increased the scope of anisotropic AuNPs in various fields. This study reports a green methodology developed for the synthesis of anisotropic AuNPs. The aqueous extracts of Alternanthera sessilis (PGK), Portulaca oleracea (PAK) and Sterculia foetida (SF) with gold ions produced violet, purple and pink coloured AuNPs, respectively, under sonication and room temperature methods revealing the formation of different shapes of AuNPs. The results of TEM analysis of AuNPs confirmed the formation of triangular plate AuNPs of the size 35 nm for PAK extract. Spherical-shaped AuNPs (10-20 nm) were obtained using an extract of PGK. SF extract produced rod, hexagon, pentagon-shaped AuNPs and nanorice gold particles. The cell viability studies of the PGK, PAK and SF-mediated AuNPs on MCF-7 cell lines by MTT assay revealed the cytotoxic activity of AuNPs to depend on the size, shape and the nature of capping agents. The synthesised AuNPs significantly inhibited the growth of cancer cells (MCF-7) in a concentration-dependent manner. The size and shape of these anisotropic AuNPs also reveal its potency to be used as sensors, catalysis, photothermal and therapeutic agents.