PARTHENIUM MEDIATED SYNTHESIS OF ZINC OXIDE NANOPARTICLES AND ITS CHARACTERIZATION

Objective: To biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles by using parthenium hysterophorous plant extract as a reducing agent and its characterization by spectroscopic techniques.Methods: A novel method was developed to prepare zinc oxide nanoparticles by using zinc nitrate as a precursor and biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles was mediated by parthenium hysterophorous plant extract without the aid of external energy (high pressure and temperature). This new method involves simple techniques such as centrifugation, filtration, and stirring. Zinc oxide nanoparticles formation was confirmed by analytical techniques such as UV-Visible spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis.Results: Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by using parthenium hysterophorous plant extract as a reducing agent. The XRD measurement showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles possess a typical hexagonal structure and the crystallite size of the synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles was found to be 32 nm calculated by scherrer's formula. The SEM images show agglomeration of zinc oxide nanoparticles that are spherical clusters. The maximum absorbance (380 nm) of UV-Visible spectroscopy further confirmed synthesized nanoparticles are zinc oxide. The Raman spectra show both E2 mode and E1 mode, which indicates that the prepared zinc oxide nanoparticles possess crystalline nature with hexagonal wurtzite structure.Conclusion: A method was established to prepare zinc oxide nanoparticles with parthenium hysterophorous plant extract which is a novel approach without the aid of external energy (high pressure and temperature), and formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by spectroscopic techniques. This method can be used in pharmaceutical industry for the synthesis of an antimicrobial agent

In-vitro Anthelmintic activity of leaf extracts of Shorea tumbuggaia Roxb. and Holostemma ada Kodien Schult. on (Pheretima posthuma )Indian earthworm.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate anthelmintic activity for the leaf extracts of two folk medicinal plants from the southern Eastern Ghats of India; Shorea tumbuggaia Roxb. (Dipterocarpaceae) and Holostemma ada Kodien Schult (Asclepiadaceae) were used for it various properties for the cure of aliments related to natural causes. Methanolic and hydroalcoholic (S. tumbuggaia Roxb.) extracts and methanolic and ethyl acetate (H. ada K. Schult.) extracts were determined for the anthelmintic activity. The phytochemical investigation reveals the presence of tannins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids steroids, anthocyanins glycoside and reducing sugars were the major phytoconstitution presence in the extracts.  In-vitro anthelmintic studies was carried out using Pheretima posthuma (Indian earth worm) as test worms, various concentrations (50, 100, 200 and 400 µg/ml) of extract, were tested in the bioassay, which involved determination of time of paralysis (P) and time of death (D) of the worms. Albendazole was used as standard reference and distilled water as control. The paralytic action and death rate of both plant extract for the methanolic extracts and ethyl acetate extract were found to be exhibits the anthelmintic activity.  Further studies to be conducted for the isolation of bioactive principle/s responsible for the activity