# Zea mays–Derived Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Exhibiting Enhanced Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Wound‐Healing Activities

## TL;DR

This paper explores the use of corn-derived zinc oxide nanoparticles for wound healing and antibacterial purposes.

## Contribution

The study introduces a green synthesis method for zinc oxide nanoparticles using Zea mays leaf extract and evaluates their wound-healing and antibacterial properties.

## Key findings

- ZnZM NPs showed significant antibacterial activity against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae.
- Topical gels with ZnZM NPs accelerated wound healing in rats compared to controls.
- The nanoparticles exhibited strong antioxidant properties, including ferric ion-reducing power and free radical-scavenging ability.

## Abstract

Infections are a cause of delayed wound healing, and the development of effective therapeutic strategies remains a key challenge. This study is aimed at developing and evaluating Zea mays leaf extract‐mediated zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnZM NPs) for their antibacterial, antioxidant, and wound‐healing potential. Z. mays leaf extract was utilized for the green synthesis of ZnZM NPs, which were characterized using multiple analytical techniques. The UV‐visible spectrum exhibited a characteristic sharp absorption peak at 390 nm, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectrometry confirmed the presence of zinc and oxygen. FT‐IR confirmed that the phytochemicals from Z. mays extract were involved in the reduction and capping of NPs. The ZnZM NPs were slightly aggregated, partially spherical, and crystalline, with an average crystallite size of 10.86 nm. The nanoparticles exhibited significant antibacterial activity against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae. They also exhibited notable ferric ion‐reducing power and free radical‐scavenging ability. Topical gels containing 1% ZnZM NPs accelerated wound healing in rats compared with the control and standard (commercial product). Histopathological studies further confirmed enhanced tissue regeneration and accelerated wound healing in rats treated with NPs compared with the control and standard groups. Our findings suggest that biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and accelerated wound‐healing properties and can serve as an economic, safe, and sustainable nanomedicine for use in clinical settings.