In vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase activities of catechin-loaded green fabricated zinc oxide nanoparticles

Abstract

Catechin is an antioxidant, secondary metabolite found in Camellia sinensis that has unique qualities such as antioxidant activity, acetylcholinesterase activity, and neuroprotective benefit. In addition to having poor biological efficacy due to low stability, nanotechnology can enhance or improve stability. The aim of this study is to synthesize catechincoated zinc oxide nanoparticles (CAT-ZnONPs) using C. sinensis leaf extract by the nanoprecipitation method and investigate their in vitro antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase activities. The ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer and the Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer were used to characterize the CAT-ZnONPs; the particle had a consistent distribution and no agglomeration of nanoparticles was observed using field emission-scanning electron microscopy. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the average size of CAT-ZnONPs is between 50 and 60 nm, as measured using the intensity of XRD. In vitro, the antioxidant activity of CAT-ZnONPs using the DPPH technique showed 50% scavenging at a dosage of 35 µg/mL. In vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity of CAT-ZnONPs with a IC 50 concentration of 1.25 µg/mL was demonstrated. Thus, the obtained results revealed the first study to demonstrate CAT-ZnONPs as a therapeutic agent, which could be a promising drug delivery system and provide a novel process for curative intervention in neurological disorders in future research.