NIT-Rourkela researchers find environment friendly antibacterial agents

A team of researchers from the National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Rourkela has found potent environment-friendly antibacterial agents by using extracts from medicinal plants to produce the agents.

The research that addresses the problem of antimicrobial resistance pointed out that overuse of traditional antibiotics has resulted in the rise of “superbugs” that have become resistant to these treatments. All around the world, scientists are seeking alternative methods to fight these superbugs.

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The research paper has been published in the prestigious ‘Surfaces and Interphases’ journal, and the study has been co-authored by Prof. Suman Jha, Associate Professor, Department of Life Science, along with his research scholars Kumari Subham, Sonali Jena, and Monalisha Ojha.

One promising class of materials that has been studied is Zinc oxide nanoparticles, materials so tiny that tens of thousands of them could fit across the width of a human hair. These tiny particles damage the bacterial cells and disrupt their normal functions. Conventional synthesis of these nanoparticles involves the use of harsh chemicals that can be toxic to humans and/or the environment.

To address this, NIT Rourkela researchers have used an eco-friendly approach to producing the zinc oxide nanoparticles. Instead of using harsh chemicals, the researchers used extracts from leaves and petals of marigold, mango, and eucalyptus to reduce zinc salts into zinc oxide nanocrystals with adsorbed phytocompounds from the extracts.

Apart from aiding in the synthesis of the nanoparticles, the extracts serve three other purposes and those are stabilising the nanoparticles through the formation of a herbal shield, controlling the release of the zinc ions, and ensuring steady antibacterial action; and finally, certain contents of these extracts have inherent antibacterial properties themselves, resulting in a double attack on bacteria.

“The green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles with phyto-corona, as a sustainable and effective antimicrobial platform, offer a promising solution to combat antimicrobial resistance while leveraging the medicinal properties of surface-adsorbed plant-derived phytocompounds. This work is a step toward developing a new generation of green nanomaterials that can support sustainable healthcare systems”, Prof. Suman Jha said.