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Plant-Based Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles and Their Bioactivity Study

A Special Issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049) belonging to the section "Green Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 6 November 2026 | Viewed by 1663

Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Agriculture and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
Interests: plant sciences; ethnobotany; stress ecophysiology; microscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0204, South Africa
Interests: medicinal plant bioprospecting; phytochemical and metabolomic profiling; green synthesis of nanoparticles; ethnopharmacology and indigenous knowledge systems; light and electron microscopy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Green synthesis of nanoparticles using medicinal plants has emerged as a sustainable and biologically meaningful alternative to conventional chemical and physical fabrication approaches. Plant-derived secondary metabolites, including phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, and proteins, serve as natural reducing, capping, and stabilizing agents that directly influence the physicochemical properties, stability, and biological performance of nanoparticles. This plant-mediated approach not only reduces environmental impacts, but also enables the integration of inherent bioactivities into the design of nanomaterial.

This Special Issue will highlight recent advances in the synthesis of green nanoparticles using medicinal plants, with a particular focus on phytochemical–nanoparticle interactions, mechanistic insights, and structure–activity relationships. Contributions integrating phytochemical analysis, metabolomics, advanced nanoparticle characterization, and biological evaluation are especially encouraged. Research addressing antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, dermo-cosmetic, and emerging environmental or health-related applications is welcomed. By bridging traditional medicinal plant knowledge with contemporary nanoscience, this Special Issue aims to advance reproducible, safe, and application-oriented plant-based nanomaterials with strong translational potential.

Prof. Dr. Yougasphree Naidoo
Guest Editor

Dr. Clarissa Naidoo
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • green nanotechnology
  • plant-mediated nanoparticle synthesis
  • medicinal plants
  • phytochemicals
  • nanoparticle characterization
  • metabolomics
  • structure–activity relationships
  • bioactivity-driven nanomaterials
  • antimicrobial and antiviral nanoparticles
  • dermo-cosmetic and biomedical applications

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 20351 KB  
Article
Oxidative Stress-Associated Apoptotic Responses Induced by Lantana camara L. Flower–Derived Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NCI-H460) Cells
by Essa M. Sabi, Ahmed H. Mujamammi, Khalil I. Zarea, Ziyad M. Althafar and Khalid M. Sumaily
Molecules 2026, 31(16), 2770; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31162770 - 9 Aug 2026
Viewed by 428
Abstract
Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, underscoring the need for safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized via a green, biogenic approach using Lantana camara L. flower aqueous extract and [...] Read more.
Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, underscoring the need for safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized via a green, biogenic approach using Lantana camara L. flower aqueous extract and evaluated for their anticancer potential against human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) NCI-H460 cells. The biosynthesized ZnO NPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and particle size analysis, confirming the formation of nanocrystalline ZnO. LC-MS profiling of the Lantana camara flower extract revealed the presence of several bioactive phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds, terpenoids, fatty acids, and alkaloids, which may contribute to the reduction and stabilization of ZnO NPs during green synthesis. Cytotoxicity assessment of ZnO NPs using MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays revealed a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability, with an IC50 value of 50 µg/mL. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that ZnO NP exposure induced significant oxidative stress, evidenced by increased nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation, and reactive oxygen species levels, along with depletion of intracellular glutathione. Apoptotic cell death was further confirmed by nuclear DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed upregulation of the pro-apoptotic genes Bax and p53, accompanied by downregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2, indicating activation of a mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Collectively, these findings suggest that Lantana camara L. flower-mediated ZnO nanoparticles induced apoptotic responses associated with oxidative stress in NSCLC cells, highlighting their ability as an eco-friendly nanoplatform for further anticancer investigations. Full article
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34 pages, 12247 KB  
Article
Green Synthesis and Quality-by-Design Optimization of Dacryodes edulis-Derived Silver Nanoparticles with Broad-Spectrum Antiviral and Antimicrobial Activity
by Jabulile H. Xulu, Vuyelwa J. Tembu, Sharon Moeno, Bienvenu Tsakem, Vuyisile S. Thibane, Bwalya A. Witika and Xavier Siwe Noundou
Molecules 2026, 31(11), 1821; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31111821 - 25 May 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 675
Abstract
The rising incidence of viral infections demands the creation of innovative, biocompatible antiviral drugs with broad-spectrum effectiveness. This study combines the green synthesis, optimization, and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) utilizing Dacryodes edulis (D. edulis) extract, assessing their antiviral, and antimicrobial [...] Read more.
The rising incidence of viral infections demands the creation of innovative, biocompatible antiviral drugs with broad-spectrum effectiveness. This study combines the green synthesis, optimization, and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) utilizing Dacryodes edulis (D. edulis) extract, assessing their antiviral, and antimicrobial characteristics. AgNPs were synthesized through the bio-reduction of silver nitrate with D. edulis water extract as a reducing, capping and stabilizing agent. The synthesis was refined through a Design of Experiments methodology. The characterization techniques, UV-Vis, Fourier-transform infrared, transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering, validated the successful synthesis of AgNPs with an average size of 101.56 ± 28.22 nm (TEM) and 156 ± 0.81 nm (DLS), a polydispersity index of 0.34, and a zeta potential of −22 mV. High-resolution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis identified some bioactive compounds which enhance the antimicrobial and antiviral properties of the samples. Enzyme kinetics experiments revealed substantial inhibitory efficacy against the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PL-pro), with AgNPs exhibiting a lower IC50 (0.271 ± 0.051 mg/mL) than the D. edulis extract (0.337 ± 0.043 mg/mL). The AgNPs exhibited MIC of 0.063 mg/mL for E. coli, 0.125 mg/mL for S. aureus and 0.08 mg/mL for S. pyrogens. The corresponding MBC values were 0.125 mg/mL, 0.25 mg/mL and 0.31 mg/mL, respectively. The fungal strains C. glabrata and C. albicans displayed MIC of 0.63 mg/mL and 0.31 mg/mL, respectively, and MBC values of 0.63 mg/mL and 0.31 mg/mL, respectively. This study underscores the potential of D. edulis-derived AgNPs as a cost-efficient, environmentally sustainable, and highly bioactive antibacterial and antiviral nanomaterial, facilitating the advancement of nanotechnology-based therapies for viral infections. Full article
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