EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIOXIDANT, AND CYTOTOXIC PROPERTIES OF GREEN SYNTHESISED ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES FROM SANTALUM ALBUM: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Background: Periodontal disease is a prevalent condition that requires effective treatments to manage inflammation
and bacterial infections. Traditional therapies face challenges such as antibiotic resistance and limited efficacy. Green
synthesised nanoparticles (NPs), particularly Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), offer a promising alternative due
to their unique biological activities. This study aims to green-synthesize ZnO NPs using Santalum album (S. album)
leaf extract and evaluate their antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties, for application in the management
of severe forms of periodontal disease
Materials and Methods: ZnO NPs were synthesized by mixing S. album leaf extract with Zinc acetate solution,
followed by heating and centrifugation. The antibacterial activity was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion
method against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Escherichia coli (E. coli), and
Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and H₂O₂ scavenging
assays. Cytotoxicity was determined through the zebrafish embryo model.
Results: The sZnO NPs demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, S. mutans, E. coli, and K.
pneumoniae with the highest activity against S. mutans. Their antioxidant activity was comparable to Vitamin C and
Vitamin E, suggesting potential for further exploration. Zebrafish embryos treated with sZnO NPs showed proper
development and comparable mortality rates with the control, indicating biocompatibility.
Conclusion: The green synthesised sZnO NPs have shown good antibacterial and antioxidant properties with low
cytotoxic activity, allowing their further exploration for clinical application in the form of local targeted drug delivery
agents for the treatment of severe forms of periodontal disease.