Sonosynthesis and artificial intelligence-enhanced characterization of PEGylated Camellia sinensis-encapsulated zinc oxide nanoparticles: cytotoxicity capacity against cervical cancer and fibroblast cells

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of zincoxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) encapsulated in PEGylated Camellia sinensis extract (CL) against L929 fibroblasts and HeLa cervical cancer cells. Characterization results revealed that the CL/ZnO NPs maintained a spherical morphology with an average diameter of 40 ± 5 nm. Moreover, advanced computer vision and texture analysis have provided intricate details regarding the surfaces of CL/ZnO NPs, revealing crucial morphological features and distribution patterns that are essential for understanding their interactions with cellular structures. Statistical evaluation revealed a pronounced cytotoxic effect of CL/ZnO NPs on HeLa cells, with IC50 values of 13.708 µg mL−1 at 48 hours, compared to >100 µg mL−1 for L929 cells, indicating selective anti-cancer activity of NPs with minimal impact on fibroblast cells. These findings not only highlight CL/ZnO NPs as effective candidates for anti-cancer therapy but also highlight the synergistic power of combining biotechnology with AI-driven imaging for cancer treatments.

Keywords

• ZnO nanoparticles
• Camellia sinensis
• biological assessment
• artificial intelligence characterization
• sustainable nano-drug carriers