Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Prosopis farcta extract and its in vitro toxicity on colon cancer cells

Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were prepared by “green” synthesis through the aqueous extract of Prosopis farcta. The P. farcta is a special herbal, which it can be a suitable candidate in the reduction process of Au3+ to Au0. The structure and morphology of the synthesized Au-NPs were characterized by UV–visible spectrophotometry, powder X-ray diffraction analysis and high-magnification transmission electron microscopy techniques. The Au-NPs were spherically uniform in shape with particle size of about 25 nm. The cytotoxicity effect of Au-NPs was studied on a colon (HT-29) cancerous cell line via the MTT assay, and the IC50 of Au-NPs was calculated to be 419.7 µg/mL. The results indicated that the apoptotic effects were increased on cells when the Au-NPs concentration reached 200 µg/mL. The Au-NPs were synthesized easily and with a very low cost and time by P. farcta extract for the first time.