Unraveling the Synergistic effects of ZnO and Ag@ZnO Nanoparticles: An in Vitro investigation of Anti-Cancer, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Properties

The present study utilizes an environmentally benign approach to produce ZnO and Ag@ZnO nanoparticles using Xanthium strumarium leaf extract. ZnO and Ag nanoparticles are recognized for their applications across numerous industries, including biological activities such as antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Consequently, in this study, we have doped silver onto zinc oxide to enhance its biological activity. Various analytical methodologies were employed to investigate the structure, morphology, and optical properties of ZnO and Ag@ZnO nanoparticles, including Ultraviolet–Visible (UV–vis) Spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy. The antibacterial investigation of Ag@ZnO and ZnO nanoparticles demonstrated their exceptional efficacy against both S. aureus and E. coli. The zone of inhibition for both gram-positive (18 ± 0.18 mm) and gram-negative (23 ± 0.63 mm) bacteria was better achieved by Ag@ZnO NPs at 1000 µg/mL. The outcomes of the anti-inflammatory assay demonstrated that produced Ag@ZnO and ZnO nanoparticles had significant inhibition properties against protein denaturation. It was found at 1000 μg/mL, the percentage inhibition of the protein denaturation (BSA) assay has shown 94.34 ± 0.08 % for Ag@ZnO, 94.35 ± 0.11 % for ZnO NPs and the proteinase inhibitory activity has shown 94.34 ± 0.08 for Ag@ZnO Nps, 90.78 ± 0.07 for ZnO NPs respectively. The antioxidant properties of Ag@ZnO and ZnO nanoparticles were assessed, revealing their enhanced antioxidant effectiveness. It was found to be 82.04 ± 0.07 % for Ag@ZnO, 74.29 ± 0.04 % for ZnO NPs at 1000 µg/mL, respectively. The cytotoxic activity revealed that, at a concentration of 512 mg mL⁻¹, Ag@ZnO (20.743 ± 0.086 %) and ZnO (25.134 ± 0.065 %) nanoparticles exhibited significant cytotoxicity against the MCF7 cell line in a concentration-dependent manner, revealing their potential as therapeutic agents for breast cancer.