The Impact of ZnO and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Nanoparticles on Sunflower Seed Germination, Phenolic Content and Antiglycation Potential
Waleed Khaled Kaddem Al-Sudani,
Rawaa Shakir Shnain Al-Shammari,
Mohammed Saheb Abed,
Jasim Hafedh Al-Saedi,
Maria Mernea,
Iulia Ioana Lungu,
Florian Dumitrache,
Dan Florin Mihailescu
Affiliations
Waleed Khaled Kaddem Al-Sudani
Interdisciplinary School of Doctoral Studies, University of Bucharest, 36–46 Mihail Kogălniceanu Bd, 050107 Bucharest, Romania
Rawaa Shakir Shnain Al-Shammari
Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Splaiul Independenței Str., 050095 Bucharest, Romania
Mohammed Saheb Abed
Doctoral School of Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Splaiul Independenței Str., 050095 Bucharest, Romania
Jasim Hafedh Al-Saedi
Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Splaiul Independenței Str., 050095 Bucharest, Romania
Maria Mernea
Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Splaiul Independenței Str., 050095 Bucharest, Romania
Iulia Ioana Lungu
National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, 077125 Magurele, Romania
Florian Dumitrache
National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, 077125 Magurele, Romania
Dan Florin Mihailescu
Department of Anatomy, Animal Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Splaiul Independenței Str., 050095 Bucharest, Romania
The enhancement of seed germination by using nanoparticles (NPs) holds the potential to elicit the synthesis of more desired compounds with important biomedical applications, such as preventing protein glycation, which occurs in diabetes. Here, we used 7 nm and 100 nm ZnO and 4.5 nm and 16.7 nm Fe2O3 NPs to treat sunflower seeds. We evaluated the effects on germination, total phenolic content, and the anti-glycation potential of extracted polyphenols. Sunflower seeds were allowed to germinate in vitro after soaking in NP solutions of different concentrations. Polyphenols were extracted, dosed, and used in serum albumin glycation experiments. The germination speed of seeds was significantly increased by the 100 nm ZnO NPs and significantly decreased by the 4.5 nm Fe2O3 NPs. The total phenolic content (TPC) of seeds was influenced by the type of NP, as ZnO NPs enhanced TPC, and the size of the NPs, as smaller NPs led to improved parameters. The polyphenols extracted from seeds inhibited protein glycation, especially those extracted from seeds treated with 7 nm ZnO. The usage of NPs impacted the germination speed and total polyphenol content of sunflower seeds, highlighting the importance of NP type and size in the germination process.
