Phyto-mediated synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Clematis montana extract and evaluation of its antibacterial activity

Green routes for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles have gained interest and recommended as better alternatives for physical and chemical synthesis. The present work reports an environment-friendly, non-toxic and cost-effective approach for synthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Clematis Montana plant extract with potential antimicrobial properties. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The antimicrobial potential of the ZnONPs were evaluated using agar well diffusion assay against bacterial pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The biosynthesized ZnONPs elongated structures with an average size ranging from 10.3 to 12.2 nm. The antibacterial activity was determined using different concentrations of the ZnONPs. The results suggested that the bacterial growth decreased with the increase in the concentration of the ZnONPs. Further, it was observed that the gram-negative bacteria were more sensitive to the exposure of the ZnONPs when compared to the gram-positive strains in the following order of sensitivity: E. coli ≥ P. aeruginosa ≥ B. cereus ≥ S. aureus. The green synthesis of ZnONPs using C. montana extract showed superior antibacterial activity against pathogenic organisms and suggests that this approach can be an excellent strategy to synthesize cost-effective, eco-friendly and versatile nanoparticles with promising pharmaceutical properties. © 2023, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.