The photocatalytic, cytotoxicity, and antibacterial properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using Trigonella foenum-graecum L extract.

Abstract

In this study, the manufacture of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) was completed via the sol-gel method with Trigonella foenum-graecum L extract for the first time to function as the stabilizing and reducing agent. The obtained product was investigated by various analyzing procedures such as TGA/DTG, FT-IR, UV-Vis, XRD, and EDX/FESEM. The calcination of our product was conducted at temperatures of 400, 500, and 600°C. In conformity to the XRD pattern, heightening the temperature of calcination caused an enlargement in the size of nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance of ZnO-NPs was evaluated to degrade methylene blue and Eriochrome black T (EBT) dyes under UV light, which resulted in a degradation percentage of about 96% and 94%, after 90min, respectively. There has been some evidence suggesting that the green synthesis of ZnO-NPs has increased their use in medicine. The outcomes of examining the cytotoxicity effect of this product against the Huh-7 cell line by the performance of the MTT assay were indicative of an IC50 of around 62.5µg/mL. Finally, according to the results of the broth microdilution method, which was performed to assess the antibacterial activity of ZnO-NPs towards gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, the value of MIC was in the range of 31 to 125µg/mL. The obtained results from biological studies confirm the antibacterial and anticancer properties of ZnO-NPs, which are promising for applying NPs in medical fields.