Green Metallic Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy: Evaluation Models and Cancer Applications.

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biochemistry
• Oncology

Background:

• Metal-based nanoparticles, particularly gold (Au) and silver (Ag), are crucial for targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy.
• Green synthesis methods utilizing biological entities offer an eco-friendly alternative for nanoparticle production, enabling control over properties.
• Current evaluation models for anticancer effects, such as 2D cell cultures and murine models, have limitations in fully representing the tumor microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in biosynthesized Au and Ag nanoparticles for treating seven common cancers.
• To assess the biological efficacy of these green nanoparticles using various in silico, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models.
• To emphasize the need for more human-like models to understand nanoparticle-tumor microenvironment interactions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on green synthesized Au and Ag nanoparticles for cancer therapy.
• Analysis of data from in silico, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models assessing anticancer effects.
• Focus on physicochemical and biological property evaluation of biosynthesized nanoparticles.

Main Results:

• Green synthesized Au and Ag nanoparticles show promise in preclinical cancer models.
• Diverse biological evaluation models are employed, with varying degrees of complexity and human-relevance.
• Understanding nanoparticle interactions within the tumor microenvironment remains a key challenge.

Conclusions:

• Biosynthesized Au and Ag nanoparticles represent a promising avenue for novel cancer therapeutics.
• Further development and application of advanced, human-like evaluation models are essential for clinical translation.
• This review consolidates current knowledge on green metal nanoparticles for cancer, guiding future research.