Green Synthesized Silver and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles with Antifungal, DNA Protection, DNA Cleavage, and Cytotoxic Activities

The present study investigated the biological properties of silver (AgNPs) and zinc oxide (ZnONPs) nanoparticles synthesized through green route. The synthesized nanoparticles displayed distinct physical and biological characteristics. The synthesized AgNPs were rod to spherical, with particle sizes between 8.08 to 24.02 ± 2 nm, with a high purity of 92.26% silver. ZnONPs displayed spherical to hexagonal morphology, measuring 8.35 to 15.06 ± 2 nm with 81.23% zinc and 18.77% oxygen. Both nanoparticles showed antifungal activity against four agriculturally important fungi, viz, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides , Colletotrichum falcatum , Rhizoctonia solani , and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum , achieving up to 100% inhibition in vitro . In detached fruit assays with Mangifera indica , AgNPs and ZnONPs exhibited dose-dependent inhibition (83.11–94.75% and 73.45–87.37%, respectively) against C. gloeosporioides . Detached leaf assays with Zea mays and Oryza sativa confirmed complete inhibition of R. solani , with no lesion formation. Besides their antifungal properties, both nanoparticles demonstrated important biomolecular properties. Although ZnONPs protected DNA from oxidative and enzymatic stress, however AgNPs caused DNA cleavage. The cytotoxic studies also showed significant inhibition of U87MG glioblastoma cells, reducing their viability in a dose-dependent manner. The synthesized nanoparticles displayed significant biological activity, suggesting their potential in antifungal and cellular processes. The diverse applications highlight their suitability for futuristic, advanced scientific and agricultural uses.