Sustainable Gold Nanoparticles Possessed Significant Activity Against Cancer Cell Lines (MCF-7, HeLa, and A549)

Nanoparticles (NPs) have begun substituting for more conventional cancer treatments in contemporary oncology, including radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) synthesized using Leucas cephalotes (Lc) leaf extract were developed via a green, eco-friendly route and evaluated for their anticancer potential. The formation of Leucas cephalotes–gold nanoparticles (Lc-GNPs) was confirmed by a distinct surface plasmon resonance peak at 524 nm, while XRD analysis revealed four prominent diffraction peaks, indicating their crystalline nature. SEM showed the spherical morphology and interaction of Lc-GNPs against cancer cell lines, and DLS revealed an average particle size of 20 nm with a narrow size distribution. Cytotoxic studies revealed dose-dependent inhibition of cancer cell viability, with IC₅₀ values of 26.91 µg/mL (MCF-7 breast cancer), 45.51 µg/mL (HeLa cervical cancer), and 17.33 µg/mL (A549 lung cancer). Lc-GNPs activity is statistically significant against all three MCF-7, HeLa, and A549 cancer cell lines. Lc-GNPs cancer activity compared with standard chemotherapeutic agents, literature-reported GNPs, and their combination. The Lc-GNPs demonstrated moderate potency but significantly lower expected systemic toxicity. These results indicate that Lc-derived GNPs possess promising, quantifiable anticancer efficacy and can serve as a sustainable nano biocompatible cancer therapeutic. The IC₅₀ values were determined from dose–response curves using nonlinear regression analysis. A549 cells exhibit the lowest viability and the highest cytotoxic response, confirming that Lc-GNPs possess the greatest potency against the A549 lung cancer cell line, followed by MCF-7 cells and HeLa.