Mimosa pudica Linn. Root Extract-Mediated Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: a Study of Glucose Uptake Efficiency on 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Abstract
Purpose
Mimosa pudica is a medicinal plant conventionally used to cure various ailments, including diabetes and is a model for synthesizing new drug derivatives. This work evaluates the glucose utilization potential of Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) derived from the ethanol root extract of M. pudica in 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells.

Methods
Molecular modeling tools were used to predict the potential antidiabetic compounds from M. pudica. ZnONPs were biosynthesized using M. pudica extract, and their physicochemical properties were characterized using UV-visible, FTIR, XRD, DLS, XPS, and FESEM techniques. The in vitro cellular viability of synthesized ZnONPs and glucose utilization efficiency were examined in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Results
Using GC-MS and LC-MS analyses, 27 novel bioactive compounds were identified from M. pudica root extract. For the efficient glucose utilization in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, Dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibition plays a pivotal role, as three of the top binding-scored molecules from M. pudica were identified via molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies. 500 µg of ZnONPs exhibited 73.47 ± 1.59% cellular viability. Further, the in vitro glucose utilization efficiency of ZnONPs was evidenced in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which displayed concentration-dependent glucose utilization. The effect of ZnONPs (30 µg) on glucose uptake was higher than that of 10 µg of metformin. Bioactive compounds from M. pudica extract might inactivate the DPP-4 enzyme activity and improve insulin release from the pancreas, lowering blood glucose levels via GLUT4 activation.

Conclusion
The findings imply that M. pudica-mediated synthesized ZnONPs might be a plant-based novel oral nanoformulation for managing diabetes mellitus (DM).