Efficacy of Phallusia arabica mediated tenorite nanoparticles in growth inhibition of clinical pathogens and A549 human lung cancer cells

Abstract

Phallusia arabica (P. arabica) aqueous extract-mediated precipitation method was adopted in the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) referred to as tenorite. This green route for CuO synthesis enabled the use of P. arabica aqueous extract as a capping agent, affording biocompatibility with tunable properties. A wide peak in the ultraviolet (UV) region (288 nm) denoted the facile production of CuO NPs. CuO NPs unveiled fluorescence with peaks in both UV and visible regions, such as 388 nm and 657 nm, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis corroborated broad coverage of varied biomolecules present in the P. arabica aqueous extract, aiding the synthetic process. The crystallite size and hydrodynamic size of CuO NPs were calculated to be 29.89 nm and 133.4 nm from the x-ray diffractometer and dynamic light scattering techniques, respectively. The thermal studies confirmed the high stability of CuO NPs heated up to 800℃. The electron microscopic analysis confirmed spherical-shaped particles of size 35.5 nm with even distribution. The antimicrobial activity of P. arabica mediated CuO NPs exhibited moderate activity against the strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida glabrata. Further, the IC₅₀ value was found to be 49.70 ± 1.10 µg/mL against A549 human lung cancer cells. These results suggested multiple incorporations in the biomedical field, with CuO NPs offering versatile properties that could be tailored for wider applications.