Phyto-synthesized Gold Nanoparticles as Antitumor Agents.

Background: Phyto, or plant-derived metal nanoparticles, are an interesting and intensive studied group of green synthesized nanoparticles. In the last decade, numerous medicinal plant extracts were used for the synthesis of stable gold or silver nanoparticles with diverse biological effects, such as antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity, anti-inflammatory activity, hypoglycemic effect, antitumor activity and catalytic activity.

Results: This review has systematized and discussed information from the last 5 years about the research regarding antitumor/anticancer potential of gold nanoparticles obtained via medicinal plant extracts, with special attention on their selective cytotoxicity on tumor cells and on their mechanism of action, in vitro and in vivo assessments.

Lignans from Medicinal Plants and their Anticancer Effect.

Since early times, various plants have been used as remedies for treating different kinds of diseases and lesions with satisfying results. The phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites from medicinal plants which include a wide category of compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, stilbenes, curcuminoids, xanthones, coumarins, lignans, etc. Between these, lignans are considered important in cancer prevention and treatment, besides other beneficial health effects, e.

A bioanalytical approach of chemical composition, bioactivity and cytotoxicity of L. herb.

is a wild herb widespread in temperate zones which was practically not studied for its biological effects. Methanolic and aqueous extracts of were assessed for the content in polyphenols and the related antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and the polysaccharide extract for the content in saccharides and the associated cytostatic effect. The results obtained highlighted that the methanolic extracts of contain moderate amounts of polyphenols, the most representative been isoquercitrin 4.

Functionalized Magnetic Nanostructures for Anticancer Therapy.

Background: In the last years, the production and applications of nanoparticles based on iron oxides in the field of biomedicine presented a great interest due to their particular properties. Because of the expansion of the pharmaceutical industry numerous new systems for drugs delivery have appeared, and those centered on magnetic nanoparticles are in a particular attention and in different promising developmental stages.

Objective: In this mini review, some representative, interesting and feasible magnetic nanostructures obtained recently (from last 5-6 years) with possible use in antitumor/anticancer therapy are presented.