Gold nanoparticle–piroxicam
anion conjugates (Au NP–Pir)
were synthesized in a green method using laser ablation of a gold
foil in an aqueous solution of anionic piroxicam (NaPir). The produced
Au NP–Pir conjugates were characterized by different spectroscopic
techniques and transmission electron microscopy. The fluorescence
and absorption spectra of Au NP–Pir colloidal solution were
recorded at different concentrations of the Au NPs to investigate
the effect of conjugation on the spectral properties of both the free
Pir anion and Au NPs. Comparing the FT-IR spectrum of the colloidal
solution of Au NP–Pir with that of the solution of the free
Pir anion indicates that this anion binds to the surface of Au NPs
through its different binding sites, viz., the pyridyl nitrogen atom,
the SO2 group, and the amide oxygen atom. To support the
experimental observations, theoretical calculations were also performed
to evaluate the interaction of different binding sites of Pir with
one Au atom and the effect of this interaction on the IR spectrum
of Pir. In a more realistic theoretical study, the optimized geometry
of Pir on the Au(111) surface was calculated, and its orientation
toward the surface of Au was obtained. The calculations show that
the pyridyl ring of Pir prefers to orient perpendicular to the surface
of Au, and the O atoms of the SO2 and amide groups are
responsible for the interaction with the surface. The cytotoxic effect
of the free Pir anion and Au NP–Pir conjugates against the
Jurkat T-cells was studied using an MTT assay. The results show that
only the Au NP–Pir conjugates have significant anticancer activity
against the Jurkat T-cells with an IC50 value of 33.8 ±
2 μg/mL. In comparison with the pure Au NPs and free Pir, the
Au NP–Pir conjugates show a significant antimicrobial activity
against two pathogens including Gram-negative Escherichia
coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).