Bioaugmented ZnO/MoO₃-activated carbon nanocomposite as platform for antibacterial, wound healing efficacy with embryonic toxicity assessment.
Abstract
Bacterial infections obstruct wound healing, prolong inflammation and disrupt cellular activity, leading to chronic wound formation. Consequently, the development of advanced therapeutic strategies like nanomedicine and biocompatible materials has become increasingly important. To address these biological barriers, biofabricated ZnO/MoO3 material mediated by Ananas comosus peel extract (AZM) was infused with activated carbon (AC), resulting in a structurally integrated AZMC nanocomposites matrix. The bioaugmented AZMC nanocomposite exhibited a crystalline structure with an average crystallite size of 21 nm, UV-Vis analysis reveals a band gap of 3.0 eV, while SEM micrographs depict a needle-like morphology and BET analysis revealed a high surface area of 338.269 m2g-1. A DPPH assay revealed a notable antioxidant effects with 73% radical scavenging was achieved at a concentration of 500 μg/mL. Moreover, antibacterial activity was significantly notable against G + ve bacteria: B. subtilis (18 ± 0.4 mm) and G -ve bacteria: E. coli (27 ± 0.4 mm), K. pneumoniae (19 ± 0.2 mm) and S. dysenteriae (22 ± 0.1 mm), with MIC value of ∼400 μg/mL against E. coli. Acute toxicity assessment in zebrafish embryos over 72 h indicated comparatively lower toxicity at 1 mg/mL, with no apparent morphological abnormalities, whereas 2 mg/mL was associated with reduced hatching and developmental abnormalities, including mild pericardial edema. The wistar rat model showed accelerated wound healing with 95% contraction by day 12 compared to 65% in control, with histology confirming enhanced granulation tissue formation and collagen organization. Integrating these findings, the multifunctional attributes of the AZMC nanocomposite encompass antioxidant, antibacterial and wound healing traits with minimal toxicity, rendering it a promising platform to accelerate wound repair and tissue regeneration with beneficial efficacy over AZM through bacterial suppression, oxidative stress inhibition, angiogenesis and collagen restructuring.