Gold Nanoparticles Green-Synthesized from Conium Maculatum: A Promising Anticancer Agent Targeting Apoptosis Pathways in PANC-1.

Nanotechnology has emerged as an effective tool for developing environmentally safe anticancer nanoparticles. Traditionally, nanoparticles have been constructed using many techniques, but unfortunately, these processes have a detrimental effect on the natural environment. The fusion of nanoparticles using plant extract is an alternative and conservative approach. Our study investigates the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) utilizing Conium maculatum (CM) extract and evaluates their potential as anticancer agents targeting pancreatic cancer (PANC-1) cells. The CM-AuNPs were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, and FTIR, confirming spherical nanoparticles with good colloidal stability between 9 and 13 nm. The DPPH test was used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of the CM extract, revealing an IC50 value of 96.14 µg/mL, while total phenolic content (TPC) was measured at 761.5 mg GAE/g. The synthesized CM-AuNPs exhibited significant dose-dependent cytotoxicity against PANC-1 cells, with an IC50 (4.02 µg/mL) value notably lower than the CM extract alone (10.70 µg/mL), indicating enhanced efficacy. Flow cytometry analysis showed increased apoptosis, evidenced by the reduction of Bcl-2 levels and the elevation of Bax and Caspase-3, confirming a mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway. Additionally, CM-AuNPs induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, further contributing to the observed apoptosis. This study emphasizes the significant prospects of green-synthesized CM-AuNPs as an eco-friendly therapeutic alternative for pancreatic cancer treatment. In addition, future studies should delineate additional molecular pathways affected by C. maculatum-derived AuNPs and evaluate their cytotoxicity in other pancreatic cancer cell lines and in vivo mouse models.