Herein, we report a facile, economic, one-pot green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) for diverse biomedical applications. In the study, ZnO-NPs were synthesized using an aqueous extract of Aquilegia pubiflora as an effective reducing and capping agent. The biomediated nanoparticles were characterized using various techniques including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy, Dynamic light scattering, photoluminescence, and RAMAN. The particles were highly pure, having an average size of 34.23 nm with spherical or elliptical morphology, and displayed good aqueous dispersion capability. FTIR and HPLC confirmed the successful capping of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. The characterized NPs were then explored for their antimicrobial and anti-leishmanial potential. Among the tested bacterial and fungal strains, ZnO-NPs were more potent toward Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Fusarium solani with inhibition zone of 10.3 ± 0.19 mm and 13 ± 1.4 mm, respectively. A dose-dependent cytotoxic effect was observed against Leishmania tropica (KWH23) with significant IC 50 for both the promastigote (48 µg/mL) and amastigote form (51 µg/mL) of the parasite. In addition, bacterial kinase enzymes were inhibited by ZnO-NPs, thus allowing us to elaborate a possible action mechanism. Finally, the remarkable biocompatible nature of the particles was confirmed against freshly isolated human red blood cells (hRBCs). Altogether, these results affirmed the high antimicrobial and antiparasitic potential of ZnO-NPs obtained through a biogenic synthetic approach using aqueous extract of the Himalayan Columbine (Aquilegia pubiflora).
Solanum xanthocarpum is considered an important traditional medicinal herb because of its unique antioxidant, and anti-diabetic, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory potential. Because of the over exploitation linked to its medicinal properties as well as destruction of its natural habitat, S. xanthocarpum is now becoming endangered and its supply is limited. Plant in vitro culture and elicitation are attractive alternative strategies to produce biomass and stimulate biosynthesis of medicinally important phytochemicals. Here, we investigated the potential influence of seven different monochromatic light treatments on biomass and secondary metabolites accumulation in callus culture of S. xanthocarpum as well as associated biological activities of the corresponding extracts. Among different light treatments, highest biomass accumulation was observed in white light-treated callus culture. Optimum accumulation of total flavonoid contents (TFC) and total phenolic contents (TPC) were observed in callus culture kept under continuous white and blue light respectively than control. Quantification of phytochemicals through HPLC revealed that optimum production of caffeic acid (0.57 ± 0.06 mg/g DW), methyl-caffeate (17.19 mg/g ± 1.79 DW), scopoletin (2.28 ± 0.13 mg/g DW), and esculetin (0.68 ± 0.07 mg/g DW) was observed under blue light callus cultures. Compared to the classic photoperiod condition, caffeic acid, methyl-caffeate, scopoletin, and esculetin were accumulated 1.7, 2.5, 1.1, and 1.09-folds higher, respectively. Moreover, high in vitro cell free antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory activities were closely associated with the production of these secondary metabolites. These results clearly showed the interest to apply multispectral light as elicitor of in vitro callus cultures S. xanthocarpum to promote the production of important phytochemicals, and allow us to propose this system as an alternative for the collection of this endangered species from the wild.
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