Phyto-Fabrication of ZnO Nanoparticles Using Piper betel Aqueous Extract and Evaluation of its Applicability in Dentistry

Background: Facile, environmental friendly synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles is of paramount importance when its biological applications are considered. Objective: Current study reports phyto-fabrication of Zinc oxide nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Piper betel leaves as stabilizing and capping agent using co-precipitation method. Results: P betel synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (PZnO) was characterized using Powder X-ray diffraction, UV-Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. PXRD pattern demonstrated hexagonal wurtzite structure with preferred orientation (100) plane confirmed by JCPDS file 36-1451. UV- Vis spectroscopy showed peak at 370 nm due to band edge of semiconductor, the PZnO. The average particle size determined by DLS measurement was 69 nm and morphologically the particles were short rod shaped and agglomerated as demonstrated by SEM images. Antibacterial activity of PZnO against dental pathogens namely Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidphillus was performed using well-diffusion method and antioxidant activity against 2, 2 diphenyl 1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals and were compared with ZnO used in clinical dentistry (DZnO). PZnO showed higher antioxidant activity of ~70% at 200 μg/mL with consistent activity at lower aliquots. PZnO showed higher antimicrobial activity than DZnO against both tested microbes and also exhibited inhibitory effects in concentration as low as 3.25 μg/mL. Cytotoxicity study using Balb 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell lines showed <40% cellular growth inhibition by both PZnO and DZnO, indicating their benignity towards selected cell lines. Conclusion: Phyto-fabricated facile PZnO nanoparticles having demonstrable antibacterial and antioxidant activity can be considered for use in clinical dentistry after further clinical trials.