Materials Research Express (Jan 2024)

Green synthesis of CuO nanoparticles using Ligustrum lucidum extract, and the antioxidant and antifungal evaluation

  • Mercy C Ogwuegbu,
  • Ayansina S Ayangbenro,
  • Doctor M N Mthiyane,
  • Olubukola O Babalola,
  • Damian C Onwudiwe

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ad4e9d
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 5
p. 055010

Abstract

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Biosynthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles using plant extract is an inexpensive, simple, rapid, and environmentally friendly approach to obtaining nanoparticles for biological applications. Herein, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) were successfully synthesized using an aqueous extract from Ligustrum lucidum leaves. The structural, optical, and morphological characteristics of the nanoparticles were assessed using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-visible spectrophotometer, transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX). Nanocrystalline CuO with an average crystalline size of 22.0 nm and a band gap energy of 1.4 eV were confirmed from the XRD and UV-vis spectrophotometer, respectively. Morphological studies showed spherical nanoparticles, whose particle size estimation (30 ± 5 nm) agrees with the crystalline size deduced from the XRD pattern. A free radical scavenging activity of the CuO nanoparticles, evaluated using the 1, 1-diphenhyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, showed that it exhibited high antioxidant activity (IC _50 : 63.35 μ g ml ^−1 ) that is concentration dependent. Antifungal evaluation using four different fungal strains ( Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, and Trichoderma harzianum ) indicated a direct relationship between the potency of the particles and their concentration, with 1 ppm solution exhibiting the highest potency. The green synthesized CuO-NPs using Ligustrum lucidum may be potentially used as an antioxidant and antifungal agent for therapeutic applications.

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