Abstract Computed tomography (CT) imaging can be enhanced with the use of contrast agents. However, the conventionally used clinical small-molecule agents (Omnipaque) are encumbered by an array of constraints that… Click to show full abstract
Abstract Computed tomography (CT) imaging can be enhanced with the use of contrast agents. However, the conventionally used clinical small-molecule agents (Omnipaque) are encumbered by an array of constraints that include potentially toxic and unwanted side effects. Therefore, this study presents a facile plant-assisted synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) that employs ultrasonic irradiation to improve the Hounsfield (HU) values for CT imaging. This “one-step one-pot”, eco-friendly and simple approach produced highly stable, biocompatible and ultrasmall Pt NPs colloidal with a mean diameter of 3.8 nm. The extract from Prosopis farcta (P. farcta) fruits served as both a reducing agent and stabilizer. The cell viability test demonstrated that HEK-293 cells remained viable after being subjected to high concentrations of Pt NPs. The X-ray attenuation of the as-synthesized Pt NPs (HU = 355) exceeds those of commercial NPs and conventionally prepared NPs. Thus, this research gives new insights into the use of plants to prepare novel contrast agents for molecular imaging.
               
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