Tropical plants provide 'unique properties' for cancer treatment
Researchers from the Russian National Research Technological University "MISIS", as part of an international team, have synthesized a new material with unique antibacterial and anticancer properties.
The study, published in the Journal of Chemical Materials and Physics, and reported by (sputnik) confirmed that researchers at the National University of Technology Research "MISiS" have developed a technology for the production of nano-zinc oxide, which is characterized as a non-toxic substance and has high photocatalytic activity and antioxidant properties.
The scientists tested the activity of the substance against various pathogenic bacteria, such as Gram-positive staphylococci.
They also studied the anticancer activity of the synthesized nanosticks using colorimetric tests to assess the metabolic activity of the cells.
To create the new material, the authors of the work used phytochemicals obtained from the extract of the leaves of Manilkara littoralis, a plant of the Sapotaceae family, common in tropical forests.
“Most of the methods used to manufacture these nanomaterials are very expensive or involve the use of toxic materials that negatively affect humans and the environment,” said Yevgeny Kolesnikov, an engineer at the Department of Functional Nanosystems and High-Temperature Materials at the Russian University.
We have implemented a green blend using inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials.”
To prepare the extract, the scientists collected young leaves of the M. littoralis plant from the rainforests of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India.
The leaves were then washed, dried, ground and the extract prepared at 80 °C.
Yevgeny Kolesnikov added: “We used this extract as a stabilizing agent in the synthesis of zinc oxide nanorods, as it acts as a redox agent in acetate decomposition.
As a result, we were able to develop an alternative way to obtain anti-cancer and anti-bacterial drugs.”
According to him, in the future, within the framework of the "Priority 2030" program, scientists plan to develop a "green" method for the synthesis of nanomaterials for biomedical applications and expand the list of materials obtained in terms of composition, structure and formation.
New synthesis techniques will greatly expand the application range of composite materials, while maintaining their safety for humans and the environment.
Manilkara are large evergreen or deciduous trees with milky juice, sometimes shrubs, and there are about 70 species in total.
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news