<i>Andrographis paniculata</i> absorbed ZnO nanofibers as a potential antimicrobial agent for biomedical applications

Abstract The present study focuses on developing antimicrobial nanofibers with superhydrophobicity and insect repellent properties for wound dressing and biomedical applications. For the first time, Andrographis paniculata leaf extract was prepared and incorporated into ZnO nanofibers (AP-ZnO). The antifungal and antibacterial activities of AP-ZnO were tested using the agar plate method. Amid the bacteria and fungus strain tested, the prepared sample exhibited a greater efficiency against Staphylococcus aureus and Trichophyton rubrum respectively. AP-ZnO showed the highest larvicidal activity (100 ± 0.2) against Aedes aegypti, proving its insect repellent characteristics. The in vivo toxicity studies of AP-ZnO (100 μ g ml −1 ) tested on Danio rerio ensure the biocompatibility of the prepared sample with maximum toxicity of 21.1% after 72 h, which is lower than commercial Prallethrin. Moreover, AP-ZnO-chitosan coated cotton fabric showed higher durability with contact angle ( θ ∼ 151°) and was suggested to be used for self-cleaning applications in the biomedical sector. The examined results confirmed that AP-ZnO possesses different medicinal characteristics suitable for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.