GREEN SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIGLYCATION ACTIVITY OF IRON NANOPARTICLES OBTAINED THROUGH BIOREDUCTION MEDIATED BY Avena sativa L. EXTRACT

Avena sativa L. (oat), belonging to the Poaceae family, stands out for its nutritional and functional value, as it is a source of bioactive compounds, such as avenanthramides, flavonoids, tocopherols and tocotrienols, which are associated with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. These compounds also highlights this species as promising for the green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs), as they may act as reducing and stabilizing agents. Among the nanomaterials obtained through this approach, iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) stand out for their biological properties of interest and potential antiglycation activity. The non-enzymatic glycation of biomolecules can lead to the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which are harmful and can cause damage to cells and tissues. Thus, new studies have been working on the discovery and search for strategies to limit AGEs formation. This study aimed to synthesize FeNPs using a standardized A. sativa extract as a source of bioactive compounds and to evaluate their antiglycation potential. The synthesis conditions were evaluated by varying extract concentration (1, 2 and 4 mg/mL), FeSO₄ concentration (0.005, 0.01 and 0.02 mol/L), pH (4, 6, 8 and 10), temperature and reaction time (30 °C for 60 min and 50 °C for 30 min). Antiglycation activity was determined by relative electrophoretic mobility (REM) using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and ribose as a glycation model and aminoguanidine (AMG) as a positive control and by measuring free amino groups using OPA method. Synthesis optimization was performed using UV–Vis spectroscopy, considering spectral changes associated with FeNPs formation. The optimized condition was defined as extract concentration at 4 mg/mL, FeSO₄ concentration at 0.02 mol/L, pH 6, 50 °C and 30 min, resulting in a dark brown solution and an extinction spectrum with peaks between 210 and 284 nm, which is characteristic for FeNPs formation. In the antiglycation assay, both FeNPs and A. sativa extract attenuated BSA glycation, exhibiting inhibition comparable to that observed for AMG. In the determination of free amino groups, AMG (83.29±2.93%), A. sativa at 4 mg/mL (70.44±7.18%) and FeNPs (65.47±4.31%) showed values that differ between each other, although differed from standardized A. sativa extract at 1 and 2 mg/mL. These results indicate that the antiglycation activity observed for the A. sativa extract at 4 mg/mL was preserved after FeNP synthesis, possibly due to the association of bioactive compounds from the extract with FeNPs surface, forming a capping layer. Thus, the findings demonstrate the potential of A. sativa as a bioreducing agent for the green synthesis of FeNPs and highlight the antiglycation activity of both the extract and FeNPs, supporting their potential for biotechnological applications.

Acknowledgments: Brazilian Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES), grant No. 88887.939967/2024-00.