Bioactive carbon dots from peony seed meal for nanomedicine via circular economy

The valorization of agricultural waste into high-value nanomaterials is key to a sustainable circular economy. Here, we transform underutilized peony seed meal into nitrogen/oxygen-doped carbon dots (PSM-CDs) via a simple hydrothermal process. These PSM-CDs exhibit potent superoxide dismutase-mimetic activity, governed by surface carbonyl groups. In a hemolytic anemia model, they act as a dual-pathway therapeutic by scavenging reactive oxygen species and suppressing the NF-κB/NLRP3 axis, while promoting erythropoiesis via ROS-HIF-1 signaling, with excellent biosafety. This work establishes a scalable "waste-to-therapeutics" paradigm, bridging sustainable agriculture and nanomedicine development.