A recent study has demonstrated that the nanoparticles derived from tea leaves can inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells. The study is published in the journal Applied Nano Materials and emphasizes on a new way of producing a nanoparticle type called quantum dots. According to the research, the tea leaf extract can work as a non-toxic alternative for making quantum dots. The dots actively inhibited the growth of lung cancer cells.
Although quantum dots can be made chemically; but is a complicated and expensive processor. Moreover, it has toxic side effects as well. The team of researchers has explored a non-toxic plant-based alternative method for producing the dots and this is with the use of tea leaf extract. They mixed tea leaf extract with cadmium sulphate and sodium sulphide and let the solution to incubate. This process caused quantum dots to form. They then applied these dots to lung cancer cells. The study found that the quantum dots produced from tea leaves were able to inhibit the growth of cells. They penetrated into the nanopores of cancer cells and successfully destroyed up to 80% of them.
This process is a way simpler, cheaper as well as less toxic method of producing quantum dots as compared to using chemicals.
The research is a collaborative venture between Swansea University experts and colleagues from two Indian universities. Dr. Pitchaimuthu outlined the next steps for research: “Building on this exciting discovery, the next step is to scale up our operation, hopefully with the help of other collaborators. We want to investigate the role of tea leaf extract in cancer cell imaging, and the interface between quantum dots and the cancer cell. We would like to set up a “quantum dot factory” which will allow us to explore more fully the ways in which they can be used.”
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The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice.