Comprehensive Study on Indian Plant Extracts Mediated Biocompatible ZnO Nanostructures: A Green Initiative

Zinc oxide nanostructures of variable morphology are extensively used in diversified applications of biomedical sector like antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal and targeted drug delivery utilizations. However, their biocompatibility and cytotoxicity are major issues restricting their commercial development for biomedical applications. Green chemistry is a game touting strategy to fabricate biocompatible zinc oxide nanoparticles for diversified biomedical applications. It eliminates the various bottlenecks associated with physical (high power consumption) and chemical (environmental contamination) fabrication strategies utilized for nanomaterial synthesis. Green strategies majorly use biomes and related materials such as plant extract, essential oils, bacteria as bioreducing, capping and stabilizing agents for facile fabrication of metal based nanoparticles. It turns these techniques into economic, simpler, eco friendly, non-toxic and less contaminating strategies with high scope of scalable optimization and production. Indian herbs and plants like Mangifera indica, Coriander sativum, Aloe vera are being traditionally used as medicinal remedies and possess high antimicrobial efficacies. The extracts from different parts of these plants like leaves, roots, stem or flower (essential oil) are proven for their bioreducing and stabilizing capabilities in nanomaterial fabrication. This review, for the first time, focuses on the usage of several India-based plants for green production of zinc oxide nanostructures with diverse morphologies and physicochemical properties. It will detail the many parameters affecting the morphologies of plant-mediated ZnO NSs during green synthesis, as well as benefits over traditional approaches. Besides associated challenges, alternate solutions and prospects to attain the United Nations sustainable development goal for environmental sustainability and good health- well being.