Green nanoparticles synthesized from damask rose petals: Evaluation of their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer, and photocatalytic properties.

Abstract

Green synthesis, an approach that has gained widespread recognition in recent years due to environmental and health concerns, was employed to synthesize green zinc oxide nanoparticles (G-ZnO NPs) using a hydro-alcoholic extract derived from dried damask rose petals. The synthesized nanoparticles were confirmed using an X-ray diffractometer, UV-visible, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. A morphological examination with a field emission scanning electron microscope revealed that the G-ZnO NPs had a diameter ranging from 44.66 to 83.74 nm and a purity of 93.2 %. Furthermore, the antioxidant, photocatalytic, antimicrobial, and anti-diabetic properties of G-ZnO NPs were investigated and compared with two commercial ZnO NPs of different sizes (C-ZnO NPs1 (10-30 nm) and C-ZnO NPs2 (50-60 nm)). The G-ZnO NPs demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity (46.49 %). In terms of photocatalytic activity against methylene blue, G-ZnO NPs exhibited a higher degradation rate (61 %) than C-ZnO NPs1 and C-ZnO NPs2 (53.65 and 25.63 %). The ability of nanoparticles to inhibit the growth of two bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus showed that G-ZnO NPs displayed the highest inhibition rate against bacterial growth for both strains. Finally, the inhibitory effect of ZnO NPs on α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase enzymes was examined, revealing significant inhibition. G-ZnO NPs (600 μg/ml) exhibited stronger inhibitory effects compared to C-ZnO NPs1 and C-ZnO NPs2 for both enzymes.