THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF MWCNTS/ZNO NANOCOMPOSITES: FROM MANAGING PLANT DISEASE TO TREATING BREAST CANCER

Abstract

Recent interesting bionic-composite material with strong antibacterial, antifungal, anti-cancer properties is functionally modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) coupled with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals. Not yet are any other such studies on such composites available from the literature. With particular attention to chemical vapour deposition, hydrothermal, and sol-gel techniques, this work reports some recent breakthroughs in the synthesis and characterization of nanocomposites of ZnO and MWCNTs. The successful integration of ZnO and MWCNTs is confirmed by characterization techniques including X-ray diffractometry, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and UV-Visible spectrophotometry; the mutual argument of the two gives best support to this outcome. Strong activity against Ralstonia solanacearum in R-WNT / ZnO nanocomposites and good antifungal efficacy against Fusarium solani is revealed by the antibacterial assessment; the primary mediators of which were identified as production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and membrane breakage. Moreover, in breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines, where ROS and superoxide dismutase (SOD) have major functions, these nanocomposites induce dose-dependent cytotoxicity and induction of death. Emphasizing the better qualities of MWCNTs/ZnO composite materials over those of individual constituents, the review suggests that they might be interesting in the field of agriculture as a way of disease management and application to diagnose and cure cancers. Eventually, existing constraints and potential paths of development are described to guide these nano-materials from laboratories into useful applications.