Antimalarial potential of Matricaria chamomilla-derived MgO nanoparticles against Plasmodium falciparum strains: an experimental study.

BACKGROUND: The growing resistance of malaria parasites, particularly Plasmodium falciparum, to most antimalarial drugs underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. Green-synthesized magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs), prepared using Matricaria chamomilla, have shown promise in biomedical applications. This study presents the first evaluation of green-synthesized MgO NPs derived from M. chamomilla for their antiplasmodial effects against P. falciparum 3D7 and K1 strains. METHODS: M.chamomilla extract was used for the biosynthesis of MgO NPs, which were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and MTT assays. The antiplasmodial activity of MgO NPs synthesized with varying solvent ratios (30:70, 50:50, and 70:30 mL of distilled water to ethanol) was evaluated in vitro. RESULTS: FESEM images revealed quasi-spherical MgO NPs with particle sizes ranging from 30 to 80 nm. DLS analysis showed hydrodynamic sizes of 183 nm, 161 nm, and 606 nm for the 30:70, 50:50, and 70:30 solvent ratios, respectively. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values against the P. falciparum 3D7 strain were 0.19, 0.21, and 0.22 mg/mL for the 30:70, 50:50, and 70:30 ratios, respectively; against the K1 strain, the corresponding IC₅₀ values were 0.41, 0.45, and 0.42 mg/mL. CONCLUSION: The green-synthesized MgO NPs exhibited in vitro antiplasmodial activity against both chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum strains. These findings support further investigation into their potential applications as antimalarial agents in preclinical models.