Green synthesis an eco-friendly route for the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles using aqueous extract of Thevetia peruviana and their biological activities

Abstract

This study reports the plant extract-assisted synthesis of iron oxide (Fe3O4) using the aqueous extract of Thevetia peruviana. The synthesized IONPs were confirmed via UV–Vis spectroscopy (295 nm) and characterized using FTIR and SEM. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations indicated a thermodynamically and mechanically stable system with semimetallic behavior and visible light absorption. The biological activities of the IONPs were evaluated, including enzyme inhibition assays for urease, α-glucosidase, carbonic anhydrase-II, and xanthine oxidase, as well as anticancer activity. The Fe₃O₄ NPs exhibited potent enzyme inhibition, including urease (94.78%, IC₅₀ = 24.98 µg/mL), α-glucosidase (86.09%), and carbonic anhydrase-II (82.98%, IC₅₀ = 24.78 µg/mL). Additionally, molecular docking was performed to evaluate the interaction of Fe₃O₄ NPs with target enzymes, supporting their inhibitory potential. The NPs also demonstrated notable anticancer activity, particularly against MDR 2780AD (IC₅₀ = 0.39 µg/mL). These results showed significant enzyme inhibition and anticancer properties, indicating the potential of these green-synthesized IONPs in biomedical applications.

Keywords: Green synthesis, Iron oxide nanoparticles, Thevetia peruviana, Enzyme Inhibition, Anticancer activity, Characterizations