Synthesis of phyto-hydroxyapatite using Ocimum sanctum and its characterization

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite is a mineral naturally occurring in the form of calcium apatite which is important to make biocompatible bone grafts, dental implants and dental fillings. The objective of the study is to synthesize a herbal hydroxyapatite using Ocimum sanctum (Basil) leaf aqueous extract ofto impart the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties to hydroxyapatite to improve its applications. The formed phyto-hydroxyapatite (phyto-HAP) was subjected to various characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The aqueous leaf extract of Ocimum sanctum was subjected to anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. The results showed that the synthesized phyto-hydroxyapatite has the crystalline structure similar to natural hydroxyapatite with the bioactive compounds of Ocimum sanctum which could make HAP a more effective material to be used in dentistry as filling materials, as herbal bone grafts, as composite herbal dental grafts, as coating material for dental implants, in orthopaedics and in other biomedical applications.