Cytotoxicity, anti-acute leukemia, and antioxidant properties of gold nanoparticles green-synthesized using Cannabis sativa L leaf aqueous extract

Metallic nanoparticles, especially gold nanoparticles, are used in the therapy of various diseases. Recently, many chemotherapeutic supplements or drugs have been formulated with gold nanoparticles. One option for synthesizing gold nanoparticles is to use herbs. Many previous studies have shown that medicinal herbs increase the antioxidant and cytotoxicity properties of gold nanoparticles against tumor cell lines. In this study, gold nanoparticles were prepared and synthesized in an aqueous medium using Cannabis sativa L leaf extract as stabilizing and reducing agents. In addition, we evaluated the anti-leukemia effects of gold nanoparticles against acute T-cell leukemia and lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines. Characterization of gold nanoparticles was done with FE – SEM, FT – IR, UV–Vis and TEM. The MTT test is used for anti-HAuCl₄, C. sativa and C. Acute leukemia effects of AuNPs. To investigate the antioxidant potentials of HAuCl₄, C. sativa aqueous extract and gold nanoparticles, the DPPH test was used in the presence of butylated hydroxytoluene as control. In UV–Vis, the clear peak at 538 nm wavelength showed the formation of gold nanoparticles. In the FT-IR, many antioxidant molecules with relevant bonds led to the perfect condition for gold reduction in gold nanoparticles. In addition, in TEM and FE-SEM images, gold nanoparticles were spherical, with an average size of 18.6 nm. The IC50 of gold nanoparticles were 329, 381, 275 and 218 µg / mL against MOLT-3, TALL-104, J.RT3-T3.5 and Clone E6-1 cell lines, and Jurkat, respectively. The best results of the anti-acute leukemia properties of gold nanoparticles were obtained in the Clone E6-1 cell line. Gold nanoparticles inhibited half of the DPPH at a concentration of 196 µg/mL. The above results confirm the excellent roles of the gold nanoparticles as new chemotherapeutic drugs in treating various types of acute leukemia.