Antimicrobial Activity of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Leaves Extract of Abies webbiana

Introduction: Green synthesis of nanoparticles using plant extract, bacteria, fungi and enzymes are eco-friendly and cost effective which do need high pressure, energy, temperature and toxic chemicals for its synthesis protocol. Zinc oxide nanoparticles have various physical, chemical and biological properties which can be applied in the treatment of oral diseases.

Aim: The main objective of the current study was to synthesize the zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in a cost effective biological method. The extract of A. webbiana was used to synthesis Zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Materials and Methods: In this report, we used the extract of A. webbiana to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles and were characterized using U-V visible spectrophotometer and were tested for their antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens.

Results: These biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against oral pathogens, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and can be developed as a novel medicine against pathogenic oral diseases. Abies webbiana extract mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles showed effective antimicrobial activity comparable to others.

Conclusion: With increasing demand in advancements in diagnosis and treatment modalities, green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using A. webbiana which was found to have potent antimicrobial action has wider applications in dentistry. This formulation needs to be further purified to isolate the component in the extract that makes it effective to be used in large scale production for targeted drug delivery against a wide array of oral microbial infections.