Anticancer, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles: A comparative analysis

Abstract

An ecological synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles through a green path from plant leaves extracts have well-known a wind range of application in the field of modern science due to increase drug efficiency, less toxicity and cost effectiveness. In the current study, the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using the chemical precipitation method and green synthesis method were systematically investigated to determine which method produces the most efficient NPs for antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, and anticancer activity. The green synthesis of ZnO NPs using Vinca rosealeaves extract was carried out. The obtained products were examined using different techniques; UV–Vis, PL spectra, FTIR, XRD, HR-TEM, and SEM. The results showed that XRD, SEM, and TEM confirmed the presence of ZnO nanoparticles with high purity, hexagonal in shape, and ranged in size from 16 to 41 nm. In addition, the anticancer activity of both ZnO NPs MCF-7 (breast cancer) cell line was evaluated. From the assay, green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles has shown better cytotoxic activity than chemical precipitation of ZnO nanoparticles, and it also has excellent anti-diabetic and antimicrobial activity. Both samples of α-amylase inhibitors are selective and effective. Sample GS-ZnO NPSs showed maximum efficiency of α-amylase inhibition (84.37%), minimum efficacy of CS-ZnO NPs (83.85%) due to the presence of alkaloids. In addition, GS-ZnO NPs (81.75 μg/mL) showed a strong cytotoxic effect against the MCF7 cell line. The result suggested that ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using the green route showed more effective antimicrobial activity, anti-diabetic activity, and anticancer activity than chemical precipitation methods.