Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles formulation via <i>Iphiona mucronata </i>aqueous extracts: characterization, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity on human prostate cancer cell line (PC3)

Green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles using plant extracts has emerged as an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to conventional methods. Iphiona mucronata, a desert plant rich in bioactive metabolites, represents a promising candidate for nanoparticle fabrication with potential biomedical applications. The study aimed to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles from I. mucronata shoots and to characterize their properties and assess their economic feasibility. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by treating a zinc sulfate solution with the plant extract. Characterization using UV-vis spectroscopy, TEM, and zeta potential analysis confirmed the formation of ZnO nanoparticles less than 100 nm in size. The GC-MS analysis of the I. mucronata methanolic extract revealed 31 chemical compounds, including palmitic acid (17.95%) and stigmasta-5,22-dien-3-ol, (3α,22E)- (13.52%). Moreover, GC-MS analysis identified various compounds, including fatty acids, esters, terpenes, steroids, and hydrocarbons, in the plant's methanol extract. The plant extract and ZnO nanoparticles showed antioxidant activity, with IC50 (mg/ml) values of 25.54 and 47.03, respectively. The study found that the zinc nanoparticle solution was significantly cytotoxic to prostate cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 19.01 µg/mL compared to the plant extract (IC50 = 73.81 µg/mL). Plant extracts and metal nanoparticles did not impede WI-38 cell growth, as indicated by IC50 values exceeding 100 µg/mL. The green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles have potential applications in biomedicine due to their antioxidant and anticancer properties.