Emerging applications of biocompatible phytosynthesized metal/metal oxide nanoparticles in healthcare

Various applications of nanotechnology in healthcare, agriculture, environmental and other technological fields have considerably transformed human life. However, harmful effects of nanomaterials synthesized by traditional methods reduce the potential of the instantaneous application of nanotechnology-based products in healthcare field. Application of plant extracts as reducing agents minimizes the use of hazardous chemicals to produce nanomaterials. Phytonanoparticles are relatively biocompatible for biological applications due to the lack of traces of harmful chemicals in them. The specific plant or plant part used for the synthesis process plays pivotal role as it influences the properties of resultant nanoparticles. Phytonanoparticles can generally be used as antimicrobial agents in blood bags, wound dressings, dental implants and other biomedical devices. They are also extensively studied for their potential applications in cancer detection and therapy. In this review, we discuss about various biomedical applications of phytonanoparticles which are synthesized using plant parts such as shoots, leaves, fruits and roots of different plant species.