Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Evaluation for Wound Healing Application Using NIH-3T3 Fibroblast Cell Line.

This study investigates the wound healing potential of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using a scratch assay on non-cancerous NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells. The ZnO NPs were synthesized using Cassia fistula leaf extract and previously characterized by UV-Visible Spectroscopy, FTIR, PXRD, FESEM, and HRTEM. The hexagonal wurtzite structure, which had an average crystalline size of 14.91 nm, was confirmed by XRD analysis. Prior research demonstrated their biocompatibility, with an IC₅₀ value of 38.56 µg/mL as determined by the MTT assay. Building on these findings, the current study evaluates the effect of ZnO NPs on fibroblast migration, a critical step in the wound healing process. The scratch assay showed a 4.30% cell migration rate on day one lower than control group (23.20%), higher than commercial ZnO (1.61%) in a single run experiment, indicating enhance cell mobility of ZnO NPs while maintaining controlled cytotoxicity. These findings highlight the features of biosynthesized ZnO NPs as a sustainable and economical wound healing material. However, additional investigations with triplicates, in vivo (animal model) studies, and clinical trials with statistical validation are necessary to ascertain reliability and practical application. Thus, this study establishes the groundwork for eco-friendly ZnO NPs in biomedical applications, specifically in wound treatments.