Characterization and Anticancer Activities of Green Synthesized CuO Nanoparticles, A Review

Abstract

Background: Cancer is defined as an abnormal/uncontrolled cell growth that shows rapid cell division. This disease is annually recognized in more than ten million people. Nanomaterials can be used as new strategies for cancer therapy. Nanostructured devices have been developed for drug delivery and controlled release and created novel anticancer chemotherapies. Nanomaterials were taken into consideration because of their new properties, containing a large specific surface area and high reactivity. Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuONPs) have potential applications in many fields like heterogeneous catalysis, antibacterial, anticancer, antioxidant, antifungal, antiviral, imaging agents, and drug delivery agents in biomedicine. CuONPs display different physical properties, such as high-temperature superconductivity, electron correlation effects, and spin dynamics. NPs can be synthesized using different methods like physical, chemical, and biological methods. Methods: Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuONPs) have been suggested for its broad usage in biomedical applications. In this review, we tried to exhibit the results of significant anticancer activity of green synthesized CuONPs and their characterization by different analytical techniques such as UV-Vis, FT-IR, XRD, EDAX, DLS, SEM, and TEM. Results: The green method for the synthesis of CuO nanoparticles as eco-friendly, cost-effective, and facile method is the more effective method. Synthesized CuONPs from this method have an appropriate size and shape. The Green synthesized CuONPs exhibited high potential against several breast cancer (AMJ-13, MCF-7, and HBL-100 cell lines), cervical cancer (HeLa), colon cancer (HCT-116), gastric cancer (human adenocarcinoma AGS cell line), lung cancer (A549), leukemia cancer, and other cancers with the main toxicity approach of increasing ROS production. Conclusion: The present review confirms the importance of green synthesized CuO nanoparticles in medical science especially cancer therapy that exhibited high activity against different cancer, both in vitro and in vivo. The main toxicity approach of CuONPs is increasing the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). It needs to perform more studies about in vivo cancer therapy and following clinical trial testing in the future. We believe that green synthesized CuO nanoparticles can be used for the improvement of different diseases.