Phytofabrication and Characterisation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Pure Curcumin

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Conventional anticancer drugs pose challenges, necessitating exploration of alternative therapies.
• Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and curcumin possess individual anticancer potential.
• Developing novel, eco-friendly nanomaterials for therapeutic applications is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize eco-friendly zinc oxide curcumin nanoparticles (Green-ZnO-NPs).
• To evaluate the anticancer efficacy and antibacterial activity of Green-ZnO-NPs.
• To assess the cytotoxic effects of Green-ZnO-NPs on Artemia larvae.

Main Methods:

• Green synthesis of ZnO NPs using curcumin as a capping and reducing agent.
• Physicochemical characterization using ATR-FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS).
• In vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity against E. coli, S. aureus, and MRSA.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assessment against MCF-7 cancer cells and Artemia larvae.

Main Results:

• Green-ZnO-NPs confirmed via ATR-FTIR, exhibiting a hexagonal wurtzite structure.
• Nanoparticles measured 27.61 ± 5.18 nm with a zeta potential of -16.90 ± 0.26 mV.
• Green-ZnO-NPs demonstrated significant antibacterial activity and potent inhibition of MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 20.53 μg/mL).
• Reduced cytotoxicity observed in Artemia larvae (LC50 ≈ 3 times lower than Std-ZnO-NPs).

Conclusions:

• Green-ZnO-NPs represent a promising, eco-friendly alternative for anticancer therapy.
• An additive effect between zinc oxide and curcumin enhances therapeutic potential.
• The developed nanoparticles offer a potent combination delivery agent with improved safety profile.