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The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613952675938304 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Nkentsha, Zenande |
| author2 | Rambharose, Sanjeev |
| author_browse | Nkentsha, Zenande Rambharose, Sanjeev |
| author_facet | Rambharose, Sanjeev Nkentsha, Zenande |
| author_sort | Nkentsha, Zenande |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132542 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:19.493Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132542 The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles Nkentsha, Zenande Rambharose, Sanjeev Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Physiological Sciences. Nervous system -- Degeneration -- Treatment Alzheimer's disease Nanoparticles -- Properties Gold -- Synthesis Nanoparticles -- Synthesis Neuroprotective agents -- Therapeutic use UCTD Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Nkentsha, Z. 2025. The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/8c5117f2-9d8e-46cb-9765-7ace530c08fa ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Neurodegenerative diseases are disorders that affect a large portion of aged individuals. They are characterised by the buildup of toxic aggregate prone proteins and oxidative stress resulting in neuronal cell death. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common forms of neurodegeneration that is treated by reducing disease progression with no cure available to date. One of the limitations that prevent the cure of this disease is the inability of drugs to be transported thoroughly to affected areas of the brain due to the blood brain barrier that encloses the central nervous system (CNS) and limits the entry of certain molecules into the brain. Nanotechnology is an emerging field that has been extensively investigated as an alternate drug delivery system. This technology uses various methods to reduce drug sizes to the nanoscale allowing them to permeate through the blood brain barrier with increased drug absorption in the brain. This study explored the development and characterization of green synthesised gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using morin hydrate, polydatin and berberine chloride which are phytochemicals that have exhibited promise in neuroprotection. The in vitro potential of these AuNPs was assessed in oxidative stressed induced neurodegeneration using SH-SY5Y cells to determine their therapeutic efficacy in neurodegeneration treatment. The synthesised AuNPs were characterised using techniques such as UV-vis spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The therapeutic efficacy of the AuNPs was evaluated using a series of anti-oxidative assays namely the dichlorofluorescein (DCF) assay, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) assay and confocal microscopy. The results indicated that all the particles were stable at 4°C, had a particle size that was mostly below 150 nm and a polydispersity index (PDI) lower than 0,5 with a zeta potential ranging between less than -50 mV and more than 50 mV. SEM imaging revealed that the particles were generally spherical or cuboidal in shape. These results align with prior synthesized nanoparticles which were found to be suitable to be used in other studies. The green synthesised AuNPs were biosafe based on the increased cell viability when assessed using the WST-1 assay. They also displayed a better anti-oxidative potential inchemico based on the DPPH assay results where these AuNPs scavenged DPPH better than their phytochemical counterparts. These AuNPs exhibited better antioxidative potential in vitro where green synthesised AuNP treated cells had similar lipid peroxidation levels to\ untreated cells in the TBARs assay, cellular ROS levels quantified using DCF fluorescence indicated an increased reduction of DCF fluorescence by the green synthesised AuNPs compared to conventional AuNPs, and their parent plant materials alone. Confocal fluorescence intensity measures showed a decrease in mitochondrial and cellular ROS levels compared to untreated oxidative stress induced cells. The use of these phytochemicals to synthesise AuNPs using a green synthesis method was successful as it produced particles with satisfactory physiochemical characteristics leading to their use in in vitro studies. The ability of these NPs to attenuate oxidative stress in the various assays indicates their potential as promising therapeutic strategies for targeting oxidative stress induced neurodegenerative diseases. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Neurodegeneratiewe siektes affekteer ‘n groot bevolking van bejaarde mense. Hierdie siektes is gekenmerk deur die opbou van giftige aggregaat proteïene en oksidatiewe stres wat lei tot neuronale seldood. Alzheimer se siekte is een van die algemeene vorme van neurodegenerasie Een van die beperkings wat die genesing van hierdie siekte verhoed, is die onvermoë van dwelms om deeglik na geaffekteerde areas van die brein vervoer te word as gevolg van die bloedbreinversperring wat die sentrale senuweestelsel (SNS) omsluit en die toegang van sekere molekules in die brein beperk. Nanotegnologie is 'n opkomende veld wat omvattend ondersoek is as 'n alternatiewe dwelmafleweringstelsel. Hierdie tegnologie gebruik verskeie metodes om geneesmiddelgroottes tot die nanoskaal te verminder om hulle toelaat deur die bloedbreinversperring te dring met verhoogde geneesmiddelabsorpsie in die brein. Die studie het die ontwikkeling en karakterisering van groen gesintetiseerde goud nanopartikels (AuNPs) ondersoek met behulp van morienhidraat, polydatien en berberienchloried wat fitochemikalieë is wat belofte in neurobeskerming getoon. Die in vitro potensiaal van hierdie AuNPs is geassesseer in oksidatiewe gestres geïnduseerde neurodegenerasie deur gebruik te maak van SH-SY5Y selle om hul terapeutiese doeltreffendheid in neurodegenerasie behandeling te bepaal. Die gesintetiseerde AuNP's is gekarakteriseer deur tegnieke soos UV-vis spektroskopie, skandeerelektronmikroskopie (SEM), dinamiese ligverstrooiing (DLS), Fourier getransformeerde infrarooi (FTIR) spektroskopie en 2,2-difenyl-1-pikrielhidrasiel (DPPH) toets. Die terapeutiese doeltreffendheid van die AuNPs is geëvalueer deur gebruik te maak van 'n reeks anti- oksidatiewe toetse, naamlik die dichloorfluoresceïen (DCF) toets, Tiobarbituursuur-reaktiewe stowwe (TBARS) toets en konfokale mikroskopie. Die resultate het aangedui dat al die AuNPs stabiel was by 4°C, 'n deeltjiegrootte gehad het wat gewoonlik onder 150 nm was en 'n polidispersiteitsindeks (PDI) laer as 0,5 met 'n zeta-potensiaal wat wissel tussen minder as -50 mV en meer as 50 mV. SEM-beelding het aan die lig gebring dat die deeltjies oor die algemeen sferies of kubusvormig was. Hierdie resultate stem ooreen met vorige gesintetiseerde nanopartikels wat gevind is om geskik te wees om in ander studies gebruik te word. Die groen gesintetiseerde AuNP's was bioveilig gebaseer op die verhoogde sellewensvatbaarheid wanneer dit met behulp van die WST-1-toets beoordeel is. Hulle het ook 'n beter anti- oksidatiewe potensiaal in-chemiese getoon gebaseer op die DPPH-toetsresultate waar hierdie AuNP's DPPH beter as hul fitochemiese eweknieë opgevang het. Hierdie AuNPs het beter antioksidatiewe potensiaal in vitro vertoon waar groen gesintetiseerde AuNP-behandelde selle soortgelyke lipiedperoksidasievlakke as onbehandelde selle in die TBARs-toets gehad het, sellulêre ROS-vlakke gekwantifiseer deur gebruik te maak van DCF-fluoressensie het 'n verhoogde vermindering van DCF-fluoressensie deur die groen gesintetiseerde AuNP-ouer- plantmateriale alleen aangedui, in vergelyking met konvensionele plantmateriaal. Konfokale fluoressensie intensiteit maatreëls het 'n afname in mitochondriale en sellulêre ROS vlakke getoon in vergelyking met onbehandelde oksidatiewe stres geïnduseerde selle. Die gebruik van hierdie fitochemikalieë om AuNPs te sintetiseer deur 'n groen sintese metode was suksesvol aangesien dit AuNPs met bevredigende fisiochemiese eienskappe geproduseer het wat gelei het tot die gebruik daarvan in in vitro studies. Die vermoë van hierdie AuNPs om oksidatiewe stres in die verskillende toetse te verswak, dui op hul potensiaal as belowende terapeutiese strategieë vir die teiken van oksidatiewe stres-geïnduseerde neurodegeneratiewe siektes. Masters 2025-06-11T05:46:43Z 2025-06-11T05:46:43Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132542 en Stellenbosch University xiv, 125 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Nervous system -- Degeneration -- Treatment Alzheimer's disease Nanoparticles -- Properties Gold -- Synthesis Nanoparticles -- Synthesis Neuroprotective agents -- Therapeutic use UCTD Nkentsha, Zenande The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles |
| title | The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles |
| title_full | The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles |
| title_fullStr | The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles |
| title_full_unstemmed | The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles |
| title_short | The neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles |
| title_sort | neuroprotective potential of green synthesised gold nanoparticles |
| topic | Nervous system -- Degeneration -- Treatment Alzheimer's disease Nanoparticles -- Properties Gold -- Synthesis Nanoparticles -- Synthesis Neuroprotective agents -- Therapeutic use UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132542 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nkentshazenande theneuroprotectivepotentialofgreensynthesisedgoldnanoparticles AT nkentshazenande neuroprotectivepotentialofgreensynthesisedgoldnanoparticles |