This research aims to investigate the synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of the biocompatibility and antibacterial activity of novel zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by Punica granatum peel and coffee ground extracts as the reducing and capping agents. Chemically synthesized ZnONPs were prepared using zinc acetate dihydrate and sodium hydroxide as reducing precursors. ZnONPs were characterized using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-VIS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Peaks of UV spectra were 300 nm for ZnONPs_PPE, 320 nm (ZnONPs_CE), 290 nm, and 440 nm (ZnONP_Chem), thereby confirming ZnONPs formation. The X-ray diffractograms revealed their hexagonal structure. TEM micrographs of the biosynthesized ZnONPs revealed their hexagonal pattern and nanorod shape for ZnONPs_Chem with particle sizes of 118.6 nm, 115.7 nm, and 111.2 nm, respectively. The FTIR analysis demonstrated the presence of proteins, carboxyl, and hydroxyl groups on ZnONPs surfaces that act as reducing and stabilizing agents. ZnONP_Chem shows the antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Punica peel and coffee ground extracts are effective reducing agents for green ZnONPs synthesis with a lower cytotoxic effect on Vero cells than ZnONPs_Chem with IC50 = 111, 103, and 93 μg/mL, respectively.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) are excessively used and represent one of the top five most commonly used nanoparticles worldwide. Recently, various studies referred to their toxic potential on various organs using different treatment route. Male Swiss Webster mice were orally administrated TiO2NPs (500 mg/kg b.w.) daily for five consecutive days and then animals were sacrificed at 24 h, 7 days, or 14 days after the last treatment. The present results report that exposure to TiO2NPs produces mild to moderate changes in the cytoarchitecture of brain tissue in a time dependent manner. Moreover, Comet assay revealed the apoptotic DNA fragmentation, while PCR-SSCP pattern and direct sequencing showed point mutation of Presenilin 1 gene at exon 5, gene linked to inherited forms of the Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, from these findings, the present study concluded that TiO2NPs is genotoxic and mutagenic to brain tissue which in turn might lead to Alzheimer's disease incidence.

Cancer was ranked as the second leading cause of death, and colon cancer has been reported as the third most frequent cancer worldwide. Chemotherapeutic drugs act on normal and cancerous cells similarly; therefore, they have various adverse side effects. Nanoparticles were identified to have a controlled effect on different cancer cell lines. The present study is aimed at studying biosynthesis silver nanoparticles by using aqueous Olea chrysophylla and Lavandula dentata leaf extracts, separately, and evaluating their anticancer potential. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by using SEM, XRD, FTIR, zeta potential, and size distribution mean, and their antiproliferative and apoptotic potentials were evaluated on HCT116 cells. Results show the formation of silver nanoparticles Olea-AgNPs and Lav-AgNPs due to the change of color to dark brown, and characterization revealed their crystalline shape with a mean size of 284.5 nm for Lav-AgNPs and 328.6 nm for Olea-AgNPs. Lav-AgNPs shows more stability than Olea-AgNPs due to its higher negative zeta potential (-14.3 mV) than nanoparticles biosynthesized from Olea leaves (-0.877 mV). Conversely, Lav-AgNPs shows more effective antiproliferative potential on HCT116 with (IC50 = 59.79 μg/ml) than Olea-AgNPs (IC50 = 99.35 μg/ml). However, Olea-AgNPs significantly increased the late stage of apoptotic and necrotic cells in comparison to Lav-AgNPs-treated cells in flow cytometry assay. Silver nanoparticles biosynthesized from Olea and lavender show anticancer potential with a more effective potential reported compared to Lav-AgNPs.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were extensively used in different fields worldwide. There is a continued increase in their productions to fulfill various uses. Biological and chemical AgNP syntheses were the most popular mechanisms in this field. Agrowastes are rich in proteins, phenolics, and flavonoids that could act as bioreductant agents in AgNP biological synthesis. The present study was aimed at synthesizing AgNPs via chemical and biological methods using trisodium citrate, pomegranate fruit peel, and coffee ground waste extracts. Moreover, silver nanoparticles were monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy and characterized using zeta potential, size distribution mean, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Four pathogenic bacterial strains (Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and MRSA) were used to assess the antimicrobial effect of the synthesized AgNPs (2, 4, and 8 mg/ml). Results report the successful formation of silver nanoparticles chemically (AgNPs_Chem) and biologically by using pomegranate peel extract (AgNPs_PPE) and coffee ground waste extract (AgNPs_CE) due to the change of color to dark brown that is confirmed by UV-vis sharp absorption spectra at specific wavelengths. Characterization using SEM and XRD revealed their crystalline shape with a mean size of AgNPs _ Chem = 62.75 , AgNPs _ CE = 273.7   nm , and AgNPs _ PPE = 591.9   nm . AgNPs_Chem show higher negativity of zeta potential (−46.7 mV) than AgNPs_CE (−12.6 mV), followed by AgNPs_PPE (−7.98 mV), which had the least stability. All the synthesized AgNPs show antimicrobial potential on all selected strains. However, 8 mg/ml shows the most effective concentration and has more efficiency on K. pneumoniae than others. Overall, the results highlight that the use of agrowastes could be an ecofriendly way to synthesize AgNPs biologically that have the same antimicrobial effect as the chemically synthesized AgNPs.