02685nas a2200193 4500008004100000022001400041245018200055210006900237260011000306300001400416490000600430520181900436100002302255700002302278700002302301700002502324700001902349856012302368 2013 eng d a2040-336400aIn situ synthesis and surface functionalization of gold nanoparticles with curcumin and their antioxidant properties: an experimental and density functional theory investigation0 aIn situ synthesis and surface functionalization of gold nanopart aTHOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLANDbROYAL SOC CHEMISTRYcDEC a1882-18930 v53 a
Curcumin ((1E,6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione) is an active component of turmeric; it is responsible for its characteristic yellow color and therapeutic potential, but its poor bioavailability remains a major challenge. In order to improve the bioavailability of curcumin, various approaches have been used. One of the possible approaches to increase the bioavailability of curcumin is its conjugation on the surface of metal nanoparticles. Therefore, in the present study, we report the binding of curcumin on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs were synthesized by the direct reduction of HAuCl4 using curcumin in the aqueous phase, without the use of any other reducing agents. We found that curcumin acts both as a reducing and capping agent, stabilizing the gold sol for many months. Moreover, these curcumin-capped AuNPs also show good antioxidant activity which was confirmed by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl) radical test. Thus, the surface functionalization of AuNPs with curcumin may pave a new way of using the curcuminoids towards possible drug delivery and therapeutics. Apart from the experimental study, a detailed quantum chemical calculation using density functional theory (DFT) has been performed, in order to investigate the formation of a complex of curcumin with Au3+ ions in different possible conformational isomeric forms. Our theoretical calculations indicate the evidence of electron transfer from curcumin into the Au center and essentially indicate that as a consequence of complexation, Au3+ ions are reduced to Au-0. Our theoretical results also propose that it is the breakage of intramolecular H-bonding that probably leads to the increased availability of curcumin in the presence of gold ions and water molecules.
1 aSingh, Dheeraj, K.1 aJagannathan, Ramya1 aKhandelwal, Puneet1 aAbraham, Priya, Mary1 aPoddar, Pankaj uhttp://library.ncl.res.in/content/situ-synthesis-and-surface-functionalization-gold-nanoparticles-curcumin-and-their-0