Nano-Ayurvedic Medicine Approaches Using Ginkgo biloba-Phytochemicals Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles Against Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Breast cancer is a significant global health issue, contributing to 15% of cancer-related deaths. Our laboratory has pioneered a novel approach, combining Ayurvedic principles with green nanotechnology, to develop a scientifically rigorous medical modality referred to as Nano-Ayurvedic Medicine, recently approved by the US Patents and Trademarks Office. Here in we report a new Nano-Ayurvedic medicine agent derived from gold nanoparticles encapsulated with phytochemicals from Ginkgo biloba plant (GB-AuNPs).

Methods: We have developed biocompatible gold nanoparticles using electron-rich phytochemicals from Ginkgo biloba as reducing agent cocktail. Ginkgo biloba phytochemical-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (GB-AuNPs) were fully characterized, and their anticancer activity, including immunomodulatory profiles, were evaluated against breast (MDAMB-231) cancer cell lines.

Results: Characterization revealed spherical morphology for GB-AuNPs and possessed optimum in vitro stability through high zeta potential of -34 mV for optimum in vivo stability. The core size of GB-AuNPs of 19 nm allows for penetration into tumor cells through both EPR effects as well as through the receptor-mediated endocytosis. The Antitumor efficacy of this nano-ayurvedic medicine agent revealed strong antitumor effects of GB-AuNPs towards MDAMB-231. Our investigations reveal that GB-AuNPs enhance anti-tumor cytokines (IL-12, TNF-α, IFN-γ) and reduce pro-tumor cytokines (IL-10, IL-6), promoting the conversion of protumor M2 macrophages into M1-like macrophage antitumor phenotype. Cellular studies show that GB-AuNPs offer superior anti-tumor efficacy and a better safety profile against breast tumors compared to cisplatin.

Conclusion: Our investigations have demonstrated that the nano-ayurvedic medicine agent, GB-AuNPs, treats cancers through an immunomodulatory mechanism facilitated by elevated levels of anti-tumor cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-12) with concomitant downregulation of pro-tumor cytokines expression (IL-6 and IL-10). The green nanotechnology approach for the development of nano-ayurvedic medicine agent (GB-AuNPs), as described in this paper, presents new and attractive opportunities for treating human cancers and other debilitating diseases and disorders.