Harnessing <i>Stevia rebaudiana</i> for Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Green Synthesis: A Sustainable Solution to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens
The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in food products poses a significant threat to public health, necessitating innovative and sustainable antimicrobial solutions. This study investigates the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using <i>Stevia rebaudiana</i>...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/5/369 |
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| Summary: | The rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in food products poses a significant threat to public health, necessitating innovative and sustainable antimicrobial solutions. This study investigates the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using <i>Stevia rebaudiana</i> extracts to evaluate their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against MDR <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> strains isolated from sold fish samples. The obtained results show that the contamination with <i>S. aureus</i> reached 54.2% in the tested fish samples (<i>n</i> = 120), underscoring the urgent need for effective interventions. ZnO-NPs were successfully synthesized and characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, XRD, and TEM, confirming their formation with an average size of 15.7 nm and reflecting their suitability for antimicrobial and biological applications. ZnO-NPs exhibited potent antibacterial activity, with a maximum inhibition zone of 24.4 ± 0.4 mm at 20 μg/disk, MIC values of 6.25–25 μg/mL, and MBC values of 12.5–50 μg/mL. Additionally, biofilm formation was inhibited by up to 92.1% at 250 μg/mL. Our mechanistic study confirmed that ZnO-NPs damage bacterial membranes and DNA, leading to the intracellular leakage of cell components that lead to bacterial cell lysis. The use of <i>S. rebaudiana</i> in ZnO-NP synthesis aligns with green chemistry principles, offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional antibiotics and enhancing the bioactivity of ZnO-NPs, and may address the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance, thereby contributing to improved food safety and public health protection. |
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| ISSN: | 2079-4991 |