“Evaluating the Efficacy of Moringa oleifera-Mediated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Antifouling and Wound Healing Applications”
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Abstract
The present study explores the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using Moringa oleifera leaf extract and evaluates their efficacy in antifouling and wound healing applications. The phytochemicals present in the extract acted as reducing and stabilizing agents, producing crystalline ZnO NPs confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), which exhibited characteristic peaks corresponding to the hexagonal wurtzite structure (JCPDS card no. 36-1451). Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed heterogeneous particle morphologies, including flower-like clusters with high surface area, while Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed ZnO bond formation and the presence of bioorganic capping groups. The nanoparticles exhibited a zeta potential of –31.7 mV, indicating good colloidal stability. Antibacterial activity, assessed by well diffusion against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, showed inhibition zones ranging from 12–16 mm (Moringa extract), compared to 20 mm for tetracycline (30 µg). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays further confirmed dose-dependent inhibition at concentrations between 100–500 µg/mL. Antifouling activity evaluated via the crystal violet assay demonstrated marked inhibition of biofilm formation compared to untreated controls. Mechanistic studies suggested that ZnO NPs induce bacterial growth suppression primarily through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, disruption of cell membranes, and interference with protein and DNA integrity. Protein profiling by SDS-PAGE and DNA gel electrophoresis further validated the inhibitory impact on bacterial cellular machinery. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that M. oleifera-mediated ZnO NPs exhibit significant antibacterial, antibiofilm, and biomolecular interference activities, positioning them as sustainable and multifunctional candidates for next-generation wound healing and antifouling therapies.