Nanoarchitectonics of phenolic acid-functionalized gold nanoparticles: A bioinspired nanoplatform for erythrocyte membrane and protein protection, bacterial and cancerous cellular toxicity

Abstract Ferulic acid-trans form (TFA) was applied for the biosynthesis of gold nanoarchitectonics (TFA-GNPs) as a reducing and stabilizing agent under optimal conditions. The most favorable conditions for this synthesis included a pH of 7, a reaction duration of 4 h, and a temperature of 50 ± 5 °C. These GNPs showed a maximum absorption peak of 554 nm by UV– visible analysis. The XRD indicated their crystalline structure. FT-IR examination clarified the presence of TFA functional groups, which are responsible for the capping and stability of TFA-GNPs. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) spectrum of TFA-GNPs displayed three main elements, including gold (Au), carbon (C), and oxygen (O). The mapping of the TFA-GNPs also revealed that the GNPs are successfully coated with TFA molecules. Transmission electron microscopy characterization revealed that the TFA-GNPs displayed a non-smooth spherical morphology, with a mean particle diameter of 70.8 ± 21.8 nm. These TFA-GNPs displayed significant antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging percentage of 86.4% at 400 µg/mL. The incubation of red blood cells (RBCs) with the highest concentrations of TFA-GNPs did not show significant hemolysis. TFA-GNPs at a maximum concentration of 800 µg/mL strongly suppressed protein denaturation (by 90.3%) and protected the RBC membrane (by 97.2%), confirming their high anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, TFA-GNPs demonstrated a moderate harmful effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cells with an IC 50 above 200 µg/mL and strong antibacterial effectiveness against Escherichia coli , preventing its growth at a minimum concentration of 31.25 µg/mL. In conclusion, the biogenic TFA-GNPs, developed within a novel phenolic acid-assisted nanoarchitectonic formulation, exhibit promising biological characteristics. These attributes position them as a compelling prospect for implementation in diverse biomedical and clinical applications.