Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Malus domestica, Tilia cordata, and its Biological Activitiess

This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer and antibacterial drug status of biomass, including zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized from two plant extracts according to the results of Topoisomerase-I enzyme inhibition, DNA cleavage, DNA binding, and antibacterial activity tests. The Malus domestica (apple) and Tilia cordata (linden) plants were dried and powdered, and their extracts were prepared in pure water. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analyses were applied for the characterization of the light-yellow powder ZnO NPs. Additionally, Topoisomerase-I enzyme inhibition, DNA cleavage, and DNA binding analyses were performed by agarose gel electrophoresis method. Powder ZnO NPs (biomass) were analyzed by the agar well diffusion method by using two gram-positive and two gram-negative bacteria. According to the XRD analysis results, the peaks obtained show that there is no foreign matter or secondary diffraction peak other than the hexagonal ZnO structure. It was observed that ZnO NPs from Tilia cordata extract are effective against Klebsiella pneumoniae. ZnO NPs from Malus domestica extract have the potential to be an effective human Topoisomerase-I enzyme inhibitor. There was poor DNA cleavage activity in all samples. In ZnO NPs from linden extract, there was an interaction at a 1mg/mL concentration of CT-DNA.