Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from <i>Indigofera linnaei</i> Ali and This Plant’s Biological Applications

Abstract

The leaf extract of Indigofera linnaei Ali, an Indian medicinal plant, was utilized in the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs). Green chemistry is a safe and cost-effective method for the synthesis of nanoparticles using plant extracts. The synthesis of CuO NPs was confirmed using ultraviolet–visible (UV-visible) spectrum λ-max data with two peaks at 269 and 337 nm. Different functional groups were identified using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to confirm the crystalline structure of the CuO-nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses were performed to examine the surface morphology and elemental composition of the biosynthesized CuO-NPs. Furthermore, the synthesized CuO-NPs exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis. Additionally, they exhibited a good insecticidal effect on Culex quinquefasciatus larvae, with low LC50 55.716 µg/mL and LC90 123.657 µg/mL values. The CuO-NPs inhibited human breast cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 63.13 µg/mL.

Keywords

• <i>Indigofera linnaei</i> Ali
• copper oxide nanoparticles
• antibacterial
• anticancer larvicidal activity