Scientists at the University of Swansea (UK) have used tea (Camellia sinensis) extract to create quantum dots - semiconductor nanoparticles that absorb and emit radiation depending on their size. They have been shown to inhibit the growth of malignant lung tumors by destroying up to 80 percent of cancer cells. The article of specialists was published in the journal Applied Nano Materials. This was announced in a press release on Phys.org.
It is known that tea leaves contain substances with biological activity - polyphenols, vitamins and antioxidants. Experts have shown that the plant can be used as a material for the production of non-toxic quantum dots, since polyphenols serve as a stabilizing agent and contribute to the formation of spherical particles from metal salts. The researchers mixed the tea extract with particles of cadmium sulfate and sodium sulfide, and the resulting solution was incubated, achieving the formation of quantum dots measuring 2-5 nanometers.
It was shown on cultures of lung adenocarcinoma cell tissues that quantum dots are able to penetrate into cancer cells, firmly bind to them and contribute to their destruction, leading to a reduction in malignant neoplasms by 80 percent. The nanoparticles also had antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the growth of pathogens. This effect is due to the fact that quantum dots contribute to a destructive oxidative explosion for the cell, causing accelerated synthesis of oxygen radicals.