Synthesis of Rutin loaded nanomagnesia as a smart nanoformulation with significant antibacterial and antioxidant properties

Nowadays synthesis of hybrid nanomaterials is of interest to researchers due to their profound antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Here, at first we prepared amine functionalized positively charged MgO nanoparticles (MgO-NH2) via microwave assisted heating followed by annealing at 400 °C for 5 h, and conjugated thereafter with a natural flavonoid, Rutin to form a bioactive nanohybrid, MgO-NH2-Rutin. The nearly spherically shaped nanohybrids with size ∼35–40 nm showed drug loading content of ∼14 % with a sustained release pattern at pH 7.4. The nanohybrids exhibited superior antioxidant properties in cell free system (DPPH, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide) as well as in intracellular condition, and showed very little cytotoxicity upto a concentration of 100 μg/mL in normal kidney epithelial cells. Besides, MgO-NH2-Rutin also triggered a significant growth inhibition against both gram positive (S. aureus) & gram negative (E. coli) bacteria. Mechanistic studies showed that the nanohybrid caused bacterial cell death via oxidative stress, DNA degradation and cell membrane disruption. Therefore, our research highlighted the use of MgO nanoparticles for the synthesis of MgO-NH2-Rutin nanohybrid, which could enhance the pharmacological actions of hydrophobic drug molecules and exhibit synergistic antioxidant and antibacterial activities.