Biogenic gold nanoparticles synthesized using Crescentia cujete L. and evaluation of their different biological activities

Crescentia cujete L. (Calabash tree) is a common tree distributed throughout the world. The tree and its fruit have high ethnobotanical value and practiced in Indian folk medicine. Nanotechnology is gaining more importance due to its myriad of application in physical, chemical and biological sciences. Herewith we present a comprehensive study on the benign synthesis of gold nanoparticles using an aqueous leaf extract of Crescentia cujete L. (CCAuNPs). In a shorter period of time, the reaction completed when an aqueous extract of Crescentia cujete was employed as a reducing agent to reduce Au3+ ions into nanoparticles. Generated CCAuNPs generates a shift in the reaction medium due to the excitation of surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) which produces an intense absorbance peak at 560 nm in UV-Vis spectroscopy. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveals the functional group moieties involved in reduction and stabilization of CCAuNPs. Transmissions Electron Microscope (TEM) studies depict the anisotropic shape of CCAuNPs with mean size 32.89 mm. Additionally, XRay Diffraction (XRD) study depicts face centered cubic crystalline structure and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) revealed that synthesized CCAuNPs were stable with highly negatively charged. CCAuNPs exhibited extraordinary bactericidal activity against the tested pathogens. 3-(4, 5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay determined that CCAuNPS conferred strong cytotoxicity against the HeLa cell line. Therefore, the present study shows the utility in synthesizing gold nanoparticles with Phytoconstituents and having a wide range of applications in medical science.