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Global Translational Medicine Phytonanotherapy in cancer and diabetes care

4.2.2. NP synthesis Anticancer medicines or therapeutic chemicals

The gold or silver salt (AuCl or AgNO ) is dissolved in derived from medicinal plants can be encapsulated in
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distilled water in a separate container. The plant extract is phytosynthesized NPs. These NPs can then be selectively
then gradually added to the salt solution while swirling or targeted to cancer cells while causing minimal damage to
shaking. The plant extract functions as a reducing agent, healthy tissues. This focused drug delivery can improve
causing metal ions to be reduced and NPs to form. The cancer treatment efficacy while lowering negative effects.
color change in the solution is observed; for gold NPs, Because NPs have a high surface area-to-volume ratio, they
the solution will typically change to hues of red or yellow, can greatly increase the solubility and bioavailability of
while for silver NPs, it will typically change to shades of anticancer drugs that are weakly water soluble. This means
brown or yellow. The reaction is allowed to occur for a more therapeutic ingredient is delivered to cancer cells,
predetermined time at an acceptable temperature (typically thereby enhancing the efficacy of the therapy.
at or near room temperature). 25 Medicinal plants include a varied range of
phytochemicals. 28-30 Combining these plants’ medicinal
4.2.3. Characterization and stabilization
chemicals with the unique properties of NPs can result in
To assess the size, shape, and stability of the synthesized synergistic effects, potentially boosting their anticancer
NPs, techniques such as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, potency. Toxicity is frequently reduced in phytosynthesized
dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron NPs, as opposed to some standard chemotherapeutic
microscopy are used. A stabilizing agent (e.g., PVP or medicines, which can have severe adverse effects. As a
PEG) is added if necessary to improve stability and prevent result, cancer patients may find the phytosynthesized NP
aggregation. 26 treatment more acceptable.
4.2.4. Concentration and purification Cancer cells can develop resistance to chemotherapy
treatments over time. Phytosynthesized NPs may provide a
To remove the NPs from any unreacted materials or fresh strategy for combating drug resistance, making them
contaminants, the suspension is centrifuged. The NPs
from the centrifuge tube are removed and the supernatant potentially useful against drug-resistant cancer cells.
is discarded. To eliminate any remaining plant extract or Some phytosynthesized NPs can be potentially
byproducts, the NPs are washed with distilled water. employed in cancer imaging and diagnostics. They can
be used as contrast agents in imaging techniques, such as
4.2.5. Storage MRI, for the early diagnosis and monitoring of malignant
To guarantee the stability, the purified phytosynthesized growths.
NPs are stored in a suitable storage solution. 27 The use of phytosynthesized NPs is consistent
These photosynthesized gold and silver NPs will with green and sustainable medical concepts. Being
subsequently be characterized and assessed for efficacy derived from natural sources, they often exhibit fewer
in cancer and diabetes treatment. The NPs can be adverse effects compared to synthetic alternatives.
functionalized and adapted for diverse uses based on the Phytosynthesized NPs can also be used in combination
individual phytochemicals contained in the plant extract with other cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy
and the desired therapeutic characteristics. Thorough or immunotherapy, to develop comprehensive cancer
study and testing are required to establish their usefulness treatment methods. The adaptability of phytosynthesized
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and safety for medical usage. 26,27 NPs enables treatment to be tailored to individual patients
Table 3 addresses the need for real-world examples and cancer types, potentially leading to more personalized
and research findings by presenting specific case studies and effective therapies. 31
and treatment examples of plants combined with NPs that 5.1. Developments in the field of green NPs for
have demonstrated success in treating cancer and diabetes. cancer treatment
It adds tangible information on the impacts of NPs and
phytonanotherapy to the theoretical backdrop, presenting To synthesize green NPs for cancer therapy, researchers
study findings that show their efficacy. have been investigating various plant-based materials, such
as extracts from medicinal plants and agricultural waste.
5. Anticancer phytomedicine These plant-based NPs have shown potential in targeted
medication delivery and cancer cell imaging. 32
The use of phytochemicals from medicinal plants in
the manufacture of gold and silver NPs has tremendous Green NPs produced from biodegradable materials,
promise, particularly in their role as anticancer drugs. such as chitosan, alginate, or cellulose, have gained

Volume 4 Issue 1 (2025) 21 doi: 10.36922/gtm.5840