Biosynthesis of zinc nanoparticles using Allium saralicum R.M. Fritsch leaf extract; Chemical characterization and analysis of their cytotoxicity, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing properties

The extract of Allium saralicum R.M. Fritsch leaf was found to be an effective reagent for green synthesis and functionalization of zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs@AS) from 1 mM zinc acetate solution. These nanoparticles were characterized by fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. FT‐IR results offered polysaccharides and protein in A. saralicum were the sources of reducing power, reducing zinc ions to ZnNPs@AS. In XRD analysis, the crystal size of zinc nanoparticles was 19.7 nm. TEM and FE‐SEM images indicated the average diameter of 19 nm for the zinc nanoparticles. For investigating the antimicrobial properties of Zn (NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O, A. saralicum , and ZnNPs@AS, we used the macro‐broth dilation test. Also, MIC, MBC, and MFC of Zn (NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O, A. saralicum , and ZnNPs@AS were gained to indicate the exact antimicrobial potentials of them. ZnNPs@AS indicated higher antifungal and antibacterial effects than all standard antibiotics ( p ≤ 0.01). The MIC of ZnNPs@AS were 2–4 and 2–8 mg/mL against fungi and bacteria, respectively. But, MBC and MFC of ZnNPs@AS were 4–8 mg/mL against all fungi and bacteria tested. To survey the cutaneous wound healing effects of Zn (NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O, A. saralicum , and ZnNPs@AS, the 0.2% ointments were formulated and compared with the control and untreated groups. The use of ZnNPs@AS ointment significantly ( p ≤ 0.01) raised the wound contracture, vessel, hydroxyl proline, hexuronic acid, hexosamine, fibrocyte, fibroblast, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate and significantly ( p ≤ 0.01) decreased the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, macrophage, and lymphocyte compared to other groups in rats. According to the above findings, ZnNPs@AS may be consumed for the treatment of cutaneous wounds and infectious diseases in humans.