Carbon nanodots constructed by ginsenosides and their high inhibitory effect on neuroblastoma

Abstract

Background Neuroblastoma is one of the common extracranial tumors in children (infants to 2 years), accounting for 8 ~ 10% of all malignant tumors. Few special drugs have been used for clinical treatment currently. Results In this work, herbal extract ginsenosides were used to synthesize fluorescent ginsenosides carbon nanodots via a one-step hydrothermal method. At a low cocultured concentration (50 µg·mL− 1) of ginsenosides carbon nanodots, the inhibition rate and apoptosis rate of SH-SY5Y cells reached ~ 45.00% and ~ 59.66%. The in vivo experiments showed tumor volume and weight of mice in ginsenosides carbon nanodots group were ~ 49.81% and ~ 34.14% to mice in model group. Since ginsenosides were used as sole reactant, ginsenosides carbon nanodots showed low toxicity and good animal response. Conclusion Low-cost ginsenosides carbon nanodots as a new type of nanomedicine with good curative effect and little toxicity show application prospects for clinical treatment of neuroblastoma. It is proposed a new design for nanomedicine based on bioactive carbon nanodots, which used natural bioactive molecules as sole source.

Carbon Dots Derived from Traditional Chinese Medicines with Bioactivities: A Rising Star in Clinical Treatment

“…It is proposed a new design for nanomedicine based on bioactive CDs, which used natural bioactive molecules as sole source to treat brain cancer through the BBB. 158 In addition, it is also more convenient to obtain the intrinsic changes of small molecules with respect to CDs, which provides us with more opportunities to search for small molecules with the potential to prepare CDs. Moreover, how to achieve the perfect combination of TCMs and CDs is worth a deep thought.…”

“…Jiang et al via a one-step hydrothermal method synthesized fluorescent ginsenoside CDs with good curative effect and little toxicity and showed application prospects for clinical treatment of neuroblastoma. It is proposed a new design for nanomedicine based on bioactive CDs, which used natural bioactive molecules as sole source to treat brain cancer through the BBB . In addition, it is also more convenient to obtain the intrinsic changes of small molecules with respect to CDs, which provides us with more opportunities to search for small molecules with the potential to prepare CDs.…”