Synthesis and characterisation of morin reduced gold nanoparticles and its cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells

•Morin, a flavanol is used to reduce and cap the AuNPs.•Spherical, stable and crystalline mAuNPs are formed.•mAuNPs are biocompatible towards PBMCs while being toxic to MCF-7 cells.•Cell death occurs through apoptosis progressing towards secondary necrosis. There is significant interest in investigating the therapeutic potential of phytochemical reduced and bound gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as it bridges the gap between nanotechnology and therapy. In the present study, AuNPs prepared using the flavonoid morin (mAuNPs) are characterised and have been studied for their anti-cancer effects. The –OH groups of morin reduce Au3+ and stabilize Au0 to form spherical and crystalline mAuNPs. These mAuNPs are biocompatible towards normal human blood cells and breast epithelial cells. Through TEM analysis, we report that they are readily taken up by breast cancer cells (MCF-7) to induce cell death. Apoptosis has also been assessed by other morphological observations and cell viability studies. Flow cytometric studies reveal that the cells undergo a transient phase of apoptosis progressing towards secondary necrosis as the dose and time of mAuNPs treatment increases. The ability of mAuNPs to induce cell death in MCF-7 cells indicates its potential as an anti-cancer agent.