Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles using Phyllanthus Niruri and Stevia Leaf Extracts and Their Antibacterial Potential
Author(s): Shreyam Barthwal, Subhasree R*, Thiyaneswaran N and S Rajeshkumar
Abstract
The growing demand for dental implants has propelled the development of the implant industry thereby leading to more advanced research in this area. The plant extract mediated nanoparticles in dental materials has many advantages over conventional materials that are synthesized by physico-chemical methods. Emergence of natural products and their derivatives has caused a paradigm shift in the synthesis of dental materials and are highly preferred over conventional drugs with the notion of reducing adverse effects. Zinc oxide nanoparticles are biocompatible, safe, and nontoxic metal oxide that possesses promising antimicrobial potential against a broad range of bacteria and fungi. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of ZnO nanoparticles prepared from the leaf extracts of Phyllanthus Niruri and Stevia that can be incorporated into dental implants. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized using leaf extracts of two medicinal plants- Phyllanthus Niruri and Stevia and Zinc sulphate as a precursor. The structural and visual characterization of nanoparticles were performed by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Change in color of the reaction mixture from turbid yellow to light brown indicated the formation of ZnO nanoparticles. UV peaks at 320 nm and 324 nm, confirmed the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles. The antibacterial potential of ZnO NPs was examined by paper disc diffusion method against various clinical strains of bacteria based on the zone of inhibition.