Biomedical applications of green synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanotechnology has emerged as a pivotal domain in the realm of science and technology, finding diverse applications across electronics, imaging, industry, and healthcare. In the healthcare sector, nanotechnology has proven instrumental in disease diagnostics, treatment, drug delivery, and the formulation of innovative pharmaceuticals. Among the myriad nanoparticles (NPs), Cerium Oxide (CeO2) NPs stand out due to their distinctive surface chemistry, robust stability, and biocompatibility. Recent advancements have witnessed the synthesis of CeO2 NPs through various bio-directed methods, leveraging natural and organic matrices as stabilizing agents. This approach aims to create biocompatible CeO2 NPs, thereby addressing safety concerns and establishing conducive conditions for their efficacious utilization in biomedicine. In the pursuit of green synthesis, CeO2 NPs have been successfully generated using plant extracts, microbial organisms, and other biological derivatives. Plants have proven to be a highly efficient source owing to their abundance, inherent safety, and rich reservoir of reducing and stabilizing agents. Different parts of plants, including leaves, flowers, and stems, have been harnessed for synthesizing CeO2 NPs, with a predominant focus on leaves in existing green synthesis studies. Characterization of the synthesized NPs has been accomplished through various techniques such as UV spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Thermal methods (TG/DTA), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) techniques. The applications of CeO2 NPs across diverse biological fields have been explored and discussed in this context.