Biogenic Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Skin Disorders: Mechanistic Insights, Translational Challenges, and Future...

The rising global burden of skin disorders necessitates the development of safe, effective, and sustainable therapeutic strategies. In this review, biogenic zinc oxide nanoparticles have emerged as a next-generation platform in dermatological nanomedicine, owing to their intrinsic antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, photoprotective, and antioxidant properties. This review highlights recent advancements in biogenic ZnONPs synthesised via plant-mediated approaches, with comparative insights into their physicochemical characteristics, safety and biological activities. Mechanistically, biogenic ZnONPs operate through multimodal pathways, including microbial membrane disruption, modulation of inflammatory signalling, modulation of reactive oxygen species, promotion of reepithelization, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage. Also, integrate multi-omics approaches to further advance understanding of nanoparticle-cell interactions at the cellular level. However, challenges such as a lack of standardised synthesis protocol, ion-mediated cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and limited clinical validation remain significant barriers. Overall, biogenic ZnONPs represent a sustainable and versatile platform for transdermal therapy, but their clinical translation requires standerized synthesis, comprehensive safety evaluation, and well-designed preclinical and clinical studies.