Green chemistry approach to synthesize titanium dioxide nanoparticles using Fagonia Cretica extract, novel strategy for developing antimicrobial and antidiabetic therapies

This groundbreaking study explores the eco-friendly production of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) to investigate their impact on health. TiO₂ NPs were synthesized utilizing a plant extract from Fagonia cretica, acting as both stabilizers and reducers. Various techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis, and X-ray diffraction (XRD), were employed to analyze the synthesized TiO₂ NPs. FT-IR revealed functional groups crucial for nanoparticle (NP) formation. SEM confirmed the particle size of synthesized TiO₂ NPs, ranging from 20 to 80 nm. XRD analysis highlighted the rutile phase crystalline structure, and EDX determined the elemental composition of TiO₂ NPs. These NPs displayed potent antimicrobial properties, proving toxic to bacterial and the fungal strains at 50 μg·mL^-1 concentration. Impressively, TiO₂ NPs showcased significant antidiabetic effects in adult male albino mice, effectively reducing Streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia by the improvement in behavior via random blood glucose, triglyceride, low density lipoproteins, high density lipoprteins, very low density lipoproteins, and GTT pathway at 100 and 200 μL. Furthermore, they exhibited a remarkable impact on human liver cancer cell lines, with a 43.2% reduction in cell viability at 100 μg·mL^-1 concentration. In essence, the study highlights TiO₂ NPs as a safe, natural therapeutic agent with immense potential in diabetes treatment. The MTT assay was utilized to assess their cytotoxicity and biocompatibility, affirming their promising role in healthcare.