Phytofabrication of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle for Wound Management: Insights From In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Studies

Abstract

Various diseases emerge from inflammation, which are indicated by pain, swelling, and redness. The conventional method to overcome inflammation is use of synthetic drugs, that is, diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin. These synthetic drugs not only reduce pain at that time but also cause drastic effects on the vital organs like the kidney, liver, and digestive tract. There is a serious need to develop herbal remedies because the world is returning into natural, safe, and organic medicines. The present study was proposed to attain sustainable development goal 3 (good health and well-being). Plant-mediated nanoparticles (NPs) offer regulated drug release, being sustainable, target-specific, small sized, and eco-friendly. Current study evaluated the in vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties of aqueous leaf extract of Solanum nigrum L. and Solanum americanum M. Biofabricated zinc oxide NPs and formulation of wound healing herbal bandage as well as in silico studies, were also performed. Their efficacy was also explored through in vitro anti-inflammatory activity (hemolysis assays and protein denaturation inhibition assay) and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity (wound healing in rabbits), including histopathological analysis. In vitro results depicted that S. nigrum aqueous leaf extract exhibited lowest % age of hemolysis (0.1 ± 0.0005) at 50 µL concentration, whereas S. americanum mediated ZnO NPs displayed highest % of hemolysis (0.08 ± 0.0055) at 100 µL concentration. In vivo results indicated that bandages coated with S. nigrum aqueous extract and S. americanum significantly improved wound healing. ZnO nanocoated bandage exhibited the paramount anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting it could be a viable alternative to conventional allopathic drugs. In silico results identified 112 inflammation-associated gene targets, whereas tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL6, and AKT1 were identified as top hub genes. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and network pharmacology analysis identified key phytochemicals like kaempferol and quercetin. These phytochemicals target TNF, IL6, and AKT1 for drug repurposing, particularly to manage inflammation.