synthesis of novel zinc oxide/glycyrrhiza glabra/curcumin nanocomposite and investigation of its antibacterial properties against dental biofilm

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance in streptococcus mutans (s. mutans), a primary causative agent of dental caries, necessitates the development of novel antibacterial agents. new technologies, like antibacterial nanomaterials, provide potential solutions. this study synthesized a zinc oxide/glycyrrhiza glabra/curcumin nanocomposite by in situ method and evaluated its efficacy against s. mutans biofilm. using the taguchi method, we optimized the synthesis conditions by varying concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles (1, 2, and 3 mg/ml), glycyrrhiza glabra extract (3, 6, and 9 mg/ml), and nanocurcumin (10, 20, and 30 µg/ml). the nanocomposite synthesized under optimal conditions (3 mg/ml zno, 9 mg/ml glycyrrhiza glabra, and 20 µg/ml nanocurcumin) demonstrated remarkable antibacterial activity, reducing bacterial viability to 0.18 log10 cfu/ml. characterization via various analyses confirmed the homogeneous dispersion of nanoparticles and successful interaction among components. the potent antibacterial properties and structural stability of nanocomposite highlight its potential as an effective alternative for combating dental biofilm-associated infections.