RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal cancer in gynaecology. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are the most often used cancer-fighting strategies. Post-surgery infection is fairly prevalent, especially among people with insufficient immunity. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnOnps) have amazing biomedical features as anticancer and antibacterial agents. METHODS: We investigated the behaviour of ZnOnps synthesized by green methods on ovarian cancers using established human ovarian cancer cell lines, besides the antibacterial action toward models of gram + ve and gram -ve bacteria. The cytotoxic effect of ZnOnps was calculated using a Sulforhodamine B (SRB) trial. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were tested as models for gram + ve and gram -ve bacteria. The selected bacteria were subjected to concentrations of 20, 40, 80, and 100 µg/ml. RESULTS: The synthesized ZnOnps induced 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) at a concentration of 27.45 µg/ml. The diameter of inhibition ranged between 20.16 ± 0.16 and 27 ± 0.57 mm for S. aureus and 25.66 ± 0.33 to 31 ± 0.33 mm for E. coli. ZnOnps antagonistic effect statistically differed with neomycin, cefaclor, and cefadroxil. CONCLUSIONS: Green synthesis of ZnOnps is easily prepared, low cost, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. Their cytotoxic action on SKOV3 cells and their antibacterial characteristics pave the way to be an alternative therapy for ovarian cancer and S. aureus and E. coli infection.