Rourkela: Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, have been able to produce a potent antibacterial agent using extracts from medicinal plants that are environmentally safe and effective, according to officials.
The research addresses the problem of antimicrobial resistance. The overuse of traditional antibiotics has resulted in the rise of superbugs that have become resistant to these treatments.
All around the world, scientists are seeking alternative methods to fight these superbugs, they said.
The research, co-authored by Professor Suman Jha, Associate Professor, Department of Life Science, along with his research scholars Kumari Subham, Sonali Jena, and Monalisha Ojha, has been published in the prestigious ‘Surfaces and Interphases’ journal.
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According to Jha, one promising class of materials that has been studied is zinc oxide nanoparticles, materials so tiny that tens of thousands of them could fit across the width of a human hair.
“These tiny particles damage the bacterial cells and disrupt their normal functions. Electrically charged zinc ions damage the cell membrane by producing reactive molecules that stress and kill the bacteria, as well as by blocking the cell’s vital processes.
Conventional synthesis of these nanoparticles involves the use of harsh chemicals that can be toxic to humans or the environment,” she said. “To address this, we have used an eco-friendly approach to producing the zinc oxide nanoparticles.
Instead of using harsh chemicals, the researchers used extracts from leaves and petals of marigold, mango and eucalyptus to reduce zinc salts into zinc oxide nanocrystals with adsorbed phytocompounds from the extracts,” Jha added.
Apart from aiding in the synthesis of the nanoparticles, the extracts serve three other purposes — stabilising the nanoparticles through the formation of a herbal shield or phyto-corona and controlling the release of the zinc ions and ensuring steady antibacterial action.
The green-synthesised zinc oxide nanoparticles with phyto-corona, as a sustainable and effective antimicrobial platform, offer a promising solution to combat antimicrobial resistance while leveraging the medicinal properties of surface-adsorbed plant-derived phytocompounds.
This work is a step toward developing a new generation of green nanomaterials that can support sustainable healthcare systems.
“Our vision is to develop scalable, affordable and environmentally safe antimicrobial materials that can be integrated into healthcare, sanitation and food preservation applications.
By harnessing India’s rich biodiversity and indigenous plant resources, we aim to create self-reliant innovations that contribute meaningfully to global health and sustainability goals,” Jha said.
