Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles from the extract of Cymbopogon olivieri and investigation of their antimicrobial and anticancer effects
摘要
NPs synthesized via biological methods play an important role in modern medicine. The lemongrass plant contains many bioactive compounds and has great medicinal value. The aim of this research was the green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles from the lemon grass plant extract to examine their antimicrobial and anticancer properties. The synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized via techniques such as UV–visible spectroscopy, XRD, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. They were pure and predominantly spherical with a size of 28 nm. The effects of plant extracts and different concentrations of ZnO NPs on different strains of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as three fungal strains were examined. The produced nanoparticles inhibited an extensive range of bacteria and fungi. The inhibition rate was greater in gram-positive bacteria than in gram-negative bacteria. The effects of ZnO nanoparticle toxicity on the ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cell line were investigated via the MTT assay. The ZnO nanoparticles diminished the percentage of relative cell viability; at concentrations of 125 μg/ml and higher, there was a significant difference from the control. Higher concentrations (500 μg/mL) of ZnO nanoparticles significantly reduced the percentage of viable cells (33.37%), and the IC50 value was 350 μg/mL. The results of this research confirmed the antimicrobial properties of Cymbopogon olivieri extract and the ZnO nanoparticles produced from its extract. Considering the effects of ZnO nanoparticle toxicity on the ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cell line, the use of ZnO nanoparticles produced from this plant is promising for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.