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Although, different plant species were utilized for the fabrication of polymorphic, hexagonal, spherical, and nanoflower ZnO NPs with various diameters, few studies succeeded in synthesizing small diameter ZnO nanorods from plant extract at ambient temperature. This work sought to pioneer the ZnO NPs fabrication from the aqueous extract of a Mediterranean salt marsh plant species Limoniastrum monopetalum (L.) Boiss. and assess the role of temperature in the fabrication process. Various techniques have been used to evaluate the quality and physicochemical characteristics of ZnO NPs. Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–VIS) was used as the primary test for formation confirmation. TEM analysis confirmed the formation of two different shapes of ZnO NPs, nano-rods and near hexagonal NPs at varying reaction temperatures. The nano-rods were about 25.3 and 297.9 nm in diameter and in length, respectively while hexagonal NPs were about 29.3 nm. The UV–VIS absorption spectra of the two forms of ZnO NPs produced were 370 and 365 nm for nano-rods and hexagonal NPs, respectively. FT-IR analysis showed Zn–O stretching at 642 cm−1 and XRD confirmed the crystalline structure of the produced ZnO NPs. Thermogravimetric analysis; TGA was also used to confirm the thermal stability of ZnO NPs. The anti-tumor activities of the two prepared ZnO NPs forms were investigated by the MTT assay, which revealed an effective dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on A-431 cell lines. Both forms displayed considerable antioxidant potential, particularly the rod-shaped ZnO NPs, with an IC50 of 148.43 µg mL−1. The rod-shaped ZnO NPs were superior candidates for destroying skin cancer, with IC50 of 93.88 ± 1 µg mL−1 ZnO NPs. Thus, rod-shaped ZnO NPs are promising, highly biocompatible candidate for biological and biomedical applications. Furthermore, both shapes of phyto-synthesized NPs demonstrated effective antimicrobial activity against various pathogens. The outcomes highlight the potential of phyto-synthesized ZnO NPs as an eco-friendly alternative for water and wastewater disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to produce stable propolis nanoparticles with a size below 100 nm, suitable for various applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, medicine, cosmetics, food, and packaging. To achieve this, propolis solid lipid nanoparticles (PSLNs) were synthesized using the hot homogenization method, and the optimized nanoparticles were analyzed using Design Expert software. The properties of the synthesized PSLN were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, PSA, TEM, and zeta potential analysis. The results indicated that PSLNs with a size range of 57 ± 15 nm remained stable in an aqueous medium at pH 7.4. HPLC analysis showed that the active ingredient of phenols and flavonoids in the extract remained stable after the formation of PSLNs. Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the extract and nanoparticles were also evaluated. The results demonstrated that the biological properties of the extract were effectively preserved in PSLNs, Additionally, the PSLN synthesized exhibited remarkable anticancer properties against the A549 cell line and with IC50 of 0.01 mg/ml after 72 h-treatment. In conclusion, the optimized PSLNs can be utilized as antioxidant and antibacterial additives and have the potential to be used as a drug or drug carrier for the treatment of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to produce stable propolis nanoparticles with a size below 100 nm, suitable for various applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, medicine, cosmetics, food, and packaging. To achieve this, propolis solid lipid nanoparticles (PSLNs) were synthesized using the hot homogenization method, and the optimized nanoparticles were analyzed using Design Expert software. The properties of the synthesized PSLN were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, FTIR, XRD, PSA, TEM, and zeta potential analysis. The results indicated that PSLNs with a size range of 57 ± 15 nm remained stable in an aqueous medium at pH 7.4. HPLC analysis showed that the active ingredient of phenols and flavonoids in the extract remained stable after the formation of PSLNs. Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the extract and nanoparticles were also evaluated. The results demonstrated that the biological properties of the extract were effectively preserved in PSLNs, Additionally, the PSLN synthesized exhibited remarkable anticancer properties against the A549 cell line and with IC50 of 0.01 mg/ml after 72 h-treatment. In conclusion, the optimized PSLNs can be utilized as antioxidant and antibacterial additives and have the potential to be used as a drug or drug carrier for the treatment of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The science of nanotechnology is expanding daily and has the potential to benefit people. Moringa oleifera is an abundant source of phenolic compounds, which are bioactive substances. It is recognised as a necessary plant because of its medicinal potential and a wide variety of health benefits. The aim of the current study is to examine the antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxicity effects of five nanoparticles (La2O3, CuO, Fe2O3, Ag, and ZnO) made using bioactive chemicals in the aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaves on four human cell lines (T47D, HepG2, A549, and Wi38). The UV–visible spectroscopy analysis with a surface plasmon peak in the 300–490 nm range and the value of the zeta potential of the various biosynthesized nanoparticles ranged from + 31 to + 37 mV, indicated the repulsion between the particles and the stability of the formulation nanoparticles confirmed the formation of all nanoparticles. Additionally, the DPPH method was used to assess the antioxidant activity of five distinct metal nanoparticles. The results show that this method works in parallel and is dependent on both the concentration of NPs and the incubation time. The anticancer effect of synthesized nanoparticles against four different cell lines has been tested. The cytotoxicity assay showed a dose-dependent and time-dependent effect of nanoparticles. The obtained results conclude that acceptable potency against T47D and A549 cell lines with IC50 ranged from 38 to 210 μg/mL and 26 to 115 μg/mL, respectively. However, HepG2 and Wi38 cell lines showed relatively higher resistance against all tested nanoparticles when compared with Doxorubicin. Moreover, the antibacterial results revealed that silver nanoparticles exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against both Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. Nanoparticles' high therapeutic activity at low concentrations opens up new avenues for the development of novel therapeutic approaches against human pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology is a vast field of science with the most vibrant and conspicuous applications. The green synthesis approach is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and produces the most stable metal-based nanoparticles without the use of toxic chemicals. This study presents the green synthesis of iron nanoparticles (FeNPs). For biosynthesis of FeNPs, Phoenix dactylifera extract was used as a reducing agent and iron sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4·7H2O) was used as a substrate. FeNPs were characterized by different techniques including UV–Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nano zeta-sizer analysis. The antimicrobial activity of FeNPs synthesized by using an aqueous extract of Phoenix dactylifera was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus leutus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. A notable color change from yellow to black confirmed the synthesis of FeNPs. The sharp peak at 450 nm UV–Visible spectroscopy confirmed the synthesis of FeNPs. FTIR showed the presence of O–H and C=C stretching due to the presence of phenol and alkene functional groups. The average size of FeNPs was 6092 d.nm. The results of antimicrobial activity showed that FeNPs exhibit different potential against different bacterial strains with a maximum 25 ± 0.360 zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli. Thus, green synthesized FeNPs could be used as potential antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]