K-doped ZnO nanostructures: biosynthesis and parasiticidal application

In general, the growing resistance to traditional anti-leishmaniasis drugs and the ineffectiveness of appropriate treatment for leishmaniasis have prompted researchers to investigate the antiparasitic properties of plant-mediated synthesized nanomaterials and nanosystems. Potassium (K)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures with unique physicochemical properties can be employed as attractive candidate against this parasitic disease. In this study, K-doped zinc oxide (KdZ) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using Artemisia annua extracts via an eco-friendly method with the advantages of simplicity, low cost, and up-scalability. A. annua extracts were deployed due to their antiparasitic effects. The synthesized NPs were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The toxicity of these nanostructures was evaluated on Leishmania tropica and normal macrophage cells. As a result, the K-doped ZnO NPs could inhibit the L. tropica cells growth, in vitro.