Gold nanoparticles synthesized with natural compounds: assesment of antioxidant activity after in vitro digestion

Currently, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are considered an ideal delivery system due to their physiological stability, high bioactivity, and controlled release of biological component.Our primary objective was to comprehend the behavior of gold nanoparticles obtained with specific natural compounds in the gastrointestinal tract.We investigated the conduct of GNPs synthesized with natural compounds from Cornus mas L. (GNPs-CM) or Sambucus nigra (GNPs-E) fruits, during the oral, gastric, and intestinal phases of the in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion.Additionally, we assessed their antioxidant capacity, phenolic content, and their potential to mitigate damages caused by nitro-oxidative stress after each phase of in vitro digestion.Results indicated that both GNPs-CM and GNPs-E maintained stability throughout simulated digestion, with some observed differences between them.Upon measuring antioxidant capacity, the GNPs-CM exhibited the lowest percentage of inhibition from hydrogen donor measurements (12.08%) after the simulated intestinal phase.Conversely, the GNPs-E displayed the highest inhibition percentage (65.3%)after the simulated oral phase.Concerning phenolic content, GNPs-CM showed a polyphenol content of 39.53 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/L, decreasing during gastrointestinal phases.GNPs-Eexhibited a polyphenol content of 100.99 mg GAE /l, also decreasing during gastrointestinal phases.