Comparative study of Synthesis and Characterization of Gold nanocages for Drug delivery

Abstract

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in biomedical applications. The global market of NPs in biotechnology for drug development and drug delivery is expected to reach $156.8 billion by the year 2028. Among metallic nanoparticles, gold nanostructures with varying shapes and sizes, stand out as biocompatible materials. Gold nanocages (AuNCs) known for their hollow interior and porous walls, exhibit the unique phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR). This study aimed at comparative synthesis of AuNCs from two different templates of silver nanocubes (AgNCs), and their characterization for successful synthesis using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The resulting AuNCs, with average size of approximately 63 nm and NIR characteristic peaks at 653 nm, used as carriers for the entrapment of Doxorubicin (DOX), leading to synthesize Pegylated DOX AuNCs (PEG-DOX-AuNCs). in vitro drug release assay and cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated their potential for controlled drug delivery to cancer cells and hold promises in photothermal therapy and as biosensor for disease detection. This research paves the way for innovative applications of AuNCs in healthcare, showcasing their potential as multifunctional tools in drug delivery and disease diagnostics.