Green synthesis, characterization, and hepatoprotective effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles from Moringa oleifera leaves in CCl₄-treated albino rats

Hepatotoxin carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) causes liver injury. This research aims to create ZnO-NPs using green synthesis from Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves aqueous extract, and chemically prepared and confirming the synthesis by specialized equipment analysis. The sizes formed of ZnO-NPs were 80 and 55 nm for chemical and green methods, respectively. In addition, to study their ability to protect Wistar Albino male rats against oxidative stress exposed to carbon tetrachloride. MO leaf aqueous extract, green synthesized ZnO-NPs, and ZnO-NPs prepared chemically at 100 and 200 mg/kg BW per day were investigated for their hepatoprotective effects on liver enzyme biomarkers, renal biomarkers, antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, hematological parameters, and histopathological changes. Compared to the control group, all liver and kidney indicators were considerably elevated after the CCl₄ injection. However, the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the liver was significantly reduced after the CCl₄ injection. These outcomes indicate that MO leaf aqueous extract, greenly synthesized ZnO-NPs, and ZnO-NPs chemically prepared can restore normal liver and kidney function and activity, as well as hematological and antioxidant enzymes. The highest impact on enhancing the hepatoprotective effect was recorded for rats that received green synthesized ZnO-NPs. The increased drug delivery mechanism of green synthesized ZnO-NPs resulted in a higher protective effect than that of MO leaf aqueous extract.