Pluronic F-127 modified ZnO nanoparticles: Green synthesis, surface modification, characterization and anticancer properties

In this study, we report a green synthesis method for ZnO NPs using guava leaf extract and surface modification of these nanoparticles with Pluronic. The structural, chemical characteristics, and morphological features of the synthesized ZnO NPs and their surface-modified counterparts were thoroughly described using appropriate techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The anticancer activity of the Pluronic-coated ZnO NPs was also evaluated on cervical cancer cells (Hela). The results revealed that the synthesized nanomaterial exhibited excellent effectiveness in eradicating Hela cancer cells. The cell viability of Hela cells decreased significantly to 8.85% when the nanoparticle concentration used was 200 µg/mL. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was relatively low, around 28.07 µg/mL. These findings demonstrate the significant potential of using Pluronic F-127 surface-modified ZnO NPs in cancer treatment.