CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF GRAPE SEED MEDIATED ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES USING BRINE SHRIMP LETHALITY ASSAY - In vitro STUDY

Background: Zinc oxide nanoparticles are a type of metal oxide nanoparticles with a band gap of 3.3 eV and excitation binding energy of 60 meV at room temperature. It has gained considerable attention due to its unique catalytic, antibacterial, antifungal, photochemical, UV-filtering, anti-inflammatory properties owing to its large surface area to volume ratio. Synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles through green routes and environmentally benign methods has been focused by researchers to avoid the use of toxic chemicals making the process and the final product eco-friendly and non-toxic in nature.

Aim: To assess the cytotoxic effect of grape seed mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles using brine shrimp lethality assay.

Materials and Methods: Plant extracts were collected and prepared for obtaining the grape seed extract. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were then synthesised in a methodological manner, followed by the assessment and characterisation of the zinc oxide nanoparticles. The zinc oxide nanoparticles powder was then prepared. Brine shrimp lethality assay was the test used to identify the cytotoxic activity of the grape seed mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles and the results were statistically analysed.

Results: Cytotoxic activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles was verified through several tests such as Brine shrimp assay. It was observed that the initial number of nauplius reduced in a negligible amount after one day and very little after three days in only certain concentrations of Zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Conclusion: The grape seed mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles thus show very less or negligible cytotoxic activity as the concentrations were increased and thus the zinc oxide nanoparticles are expected to be used in future for effective drug systems and in the future drug formulations.