(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from the University of Missouri-
Columbia report in the Journal of Materials Chemistry that
chemicals in tea are the best yet discovered to make consistent,
biologically safe gold nanoparticles. More importantly, these
gold nanoparticles show promising anticancer properties. The
research team, headed by Kattesh V. Katti, Ph.D., M.Sc.Ed.,
principal investigator of the National Cancer Institute-funded
Hybrid Nanoparticles in Imaging and Therapy of Prostate Cancer
Platform Partnership, literally brewed a fresh pot of Darjeeling
tea and added gold salts, which get reduced by phytochemicals
already known for their health benefits. Coincidentally, the tea
chemicals that regulate the size of these nanoparticles also
increase their likelihood of being taken into breast and
prostate cancer cells, improving their potential as targeted
anticancer drugs. The nanoparticles are also highly stable in
biological fluids. Dr. Katti says that discovering tea’s
nontoxic formation of nanoparticles is o