Green-Synthesized Leucas aspera-Functionalized ZnO Nanoparticles for Antibacterial and Anticancer Biomedical...

Area of Science:

• Green synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials.
• Biogenic synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles.
• Phytochemical functionalization of nanoparticles.

Background:

• Biogenic and bioactive nanomaterials are crucial for therapeutic applications.
• Green synthesis offers sustainable routes for nanoparticle production.
• Leucas aspera leaf extract can act as a natural reducing and capping agent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize phytochemical-functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles (LA-ZnO) using Leucas aspera leaf extract.
• To characterize the synthesized LA-ZnO nanoparticles.
• To evaluate the bioactivity of LA-ZnO nanoparticles for therapeutic potential.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Leucas aspera leaf extract.
• Characterization via UV-Vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and DLS.
• Assessment of antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
• In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation using MTT assays on A549 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of hexagonal wurtzite structured LA-ZnO nanoparticles with sizes of 33.72 nm.
• SEM revealed flower-like morphology for LA-ZnO, distinct from rod-like ZnO.
• LA-ZnO demonstrated concentration-dependent antibacterial activity, notably against Staphylococcus aureus (18 mm inhibition zone).
• Cytotoxicity was observed against A549 (IC50 = 22.55 µg/mL) and MCF-7 (IC50 = 81.15 µg/mL) cancer cells.

Conclusions:

• Leucas aspera-mediated synthesis provides an effective green route for producing bioactive ZnO nanoparticles.
• LA-ZnO nanoparticles exhibit significant antimicrobial and anticancer properties.
• These findings suggest LA-ZnO as a promising candidate for antimicrobial and therapeutic biomedical applications.