Investigating the Protective Effect of Camphene-Conjugated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Danio rerio

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections, is becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to its alarming ability to develop antibiotic resistance. Camphene (CAM), a monoterpene found in conifers and cannabis, is reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Our study focuses on the synthesis of camphene conjugated with zinc oxide nanoparticles (CAM-ZnO NPs) and evaluating its bactericidal ability against P. aeruginosa. Our in vitro 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays showed that CAM-ZnO NPs possess significant antioxidant capabilities. Moreover, in vivo studies on zebrafish larvae exhibit an increase in the antioxidant enzyme levels, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), confirmed by the real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Furthermore, the infected zebrafish larvae showed a reduced number of localized macrophages, indicating a reduced inflammatory response at the site of injury. In conclusion, the results of our study support the CAM-ZnO NP’s potential to treat P. aeruginosa infections.