A novel green one-step synthesis of gold nanoparticles using crocin and their anti-cancer activities

•The AuNPs were rapidly synthesized using a bio-reducing agent from saffron stigma (crocin).•The AuNPs in the range of 4–10 nm were functionalized and conjugated with crocin.•The crocin–AuNPs could be stable at room temperature (25 °C) for at least 30 days.•The AuNPs with crocin were showed significant cytotoxic effects against breast cancer cells.

Functionalized nanoparticles are specifically designed to deliver drugs at tumor cells and can potentially enhance anticancer activity of drugs such as crocin. In the present study, we have applied antioxidant crocin as a reducing agent for one pot green synthesis of controlled size gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Spherical, stable and uniform AuNPs were synthesized using crocin. These AuNPs are characterized by UV–Vis, TEM and XRD techniques. The prepared AuNPs showed surface plasm on resonance centered at 520 nm with the average particle size of about 4–10 nm. The anti-cancer effect of AuNPs was determined using MTT and LDH tests. The cellular data showed that these AuNPs significantly decreased cancerous cells' growth after 24 and 48 hours in a time- and dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The results suggest that such AuNPs can be synthesized simply and quickly with invaluable clinical as well as pharmaceutical activities which can help to treat human breast cancer.

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