The increasing interest in nanomaterials has accelerated the search for sustainable and eco-friendly synthesis routes. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were successfully synthesized for the first time using Hedysarum varium extracts through a green synthesis approach. The plant material was extracted using a methanol–water mixture, and the resulting extract was incorporated into a zinc nitrate solution, followed by incubation at 60 °C for 4 hours under alkaline conditions (pH 10). After purification and drying at 90 °C, pure ZnO NPs were obtained. Structural and morphological properties were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XRD, and atomic force microscopy (AFM), confirming the formation of crystalline ZnO NPs with average sizes ranging from 10–20 nm, while optimization studies revealed that a 25 mg extract concentration provided the most stable and controlled nanoparticle formation. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and the nanoparticles exhibited the strongest effect against Gram-positive S. aureus (MIC: 0.25 mg/mL), indicating potential for biomedical applications. Compared with previously reported green synthesis methods using Aloe vera or Thymbra spicata, the use of H. varium extract offers a novel, cost-effective, and sustainable alternative with antibacterial properties. This study contributes to the literature by presenting the first report of ZnO NP synthesis mediated by H. varium, highlighting its promising role as a green source for nanomaterial production, and suggesting that future studies should expand microbial spectrum testing, explore cytotoxicity and biocompatibility, and evaluate potential industrial-scale applications.
Özkan et al. (Wed,) studied this question.