Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of algae-mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26832/24566632.2025.100202Keywords:
Algae, BSA, Bioactive agents, Green synthesis, Zinc oxide nanoparticlesAbstract
The current study investigates the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles synthesized using an algal extract as a green, eco-friendly reducing and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV, absorption peak 330 nm) XRD (24 nm crystalline size), SEM (rod shaped morphology) and FTIR (Zn-O bond at 671cm-1). Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed using the bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein denaturation method showing dose dependent inhibition (28.4-88.0 % at 100- 500 ug/ml; IC50 = 251.64 ug/ml), comparable to ibuprofen (IC50 = 233.60 ug/ml). Antioxidant activity of green synthesised ZnO nanoparticles was evaluated using DPPH free radical scavenging assay (28.8-88.0% at 100- 500 ug/ml; IC50 = 200.06 ug/ml) attaining ~ 85% efficacy of ascorbic acid (IC50 = 171ug/ml). Results showed that ZnO NPs exhibited strong, concentration-dependent anti-inflammatory activity, inhibiting BSA denaturation by 28.4% to 88% over a range of 100–500 µg/mL, with an IC50 value of 251.64 µg/mL, closely comparable that of ibuprofen (IC50=233.6 µg/mL). Moreover, the nanoparticles showed substantial antioxidant activity, with DPPH radical scavenging ranging from 28.8% to 88.9% within the same concentration range, and an IC50 of 200.06 µg/mL—comparable to ascorbic acid (IC50=171 µg/mL). The bioactivities are likely enhanced by the phytochemicals present in A. platensis, such as phenolic compounds and C-phycocyanin. Thus, algae-mediated ZnO nanoparticles exhibit significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting their potential as bioactive agents for pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications.
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