A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THE SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND BIOACTIVITY OF PHYTOGENIC COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLES: DALBERGIA SISSOO LEAF EXTRACT AS A POTENT CAPPING AGENT FOR ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIBIOFILM, AND ANTIOXIDANT APPLICATIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/9gn0ab05Keywords:
Copper oxide nanoparticles, Dalbergia sissoo, green synthesis, Antibacterial activity Antioxidants, Biofilms, NanoparticlesAbstract
Background: The global rise of multidrug-resistant pathogens poses a critical challenge to public health, necessitating the development of novel, sustainable antimicrobial strategies. Nanotechnology-based interventions, particularly metal oxide nanoparticles synthesized through environmentally friendly processes, offer a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. Plant-mediated “green synthesis” methods provide biocompatible and cost-effective pathways to produce nanoparticles with enhanced antimicrobial and antioxidant potential.
Objective: This study aimed to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using Dalbergia sissoo leaf extract and to evaluate their antibacterial, antibiofilm and antioxidant activities against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.
Methods: CuO NPs were biofabricated using aqueous D. sissoo extract and characterized through UV–Visible spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR and SEM analyses. Antibacterial activity was assessed using broth microdilution and agar well diffusion methods. Cell membrane disruption was quantified by measuring leakage of DNA, proteins and reducing sugars after exposure to increasing NP concentrations. Antibiofilm activity was evaluated using a 96-well crystal violet assay, while antioxidant potential was investigated using DPPH, ABTS and H₂O₂ radical scavenging assays across concentrations of 62.5–1000 µg/ml.
Results: Synthesized CuO NPs showed a UV absorbance peak at 290 nm, crystalline structure on XRD, distinct functional groups on FTIR and partial agglomeration in SEM imaging. MIC values ranged from 62.5–125 µg/ml, with maximum inhibition zones of 24 mm. Membrane disruption increased markedly at higher concentrations, with measurable leakage of DNA (0.3–0.72 µg/ml), proteins (5.6–12.2 µg/ml) and reducing sugars (11.4–69.1 µg/ml). Biofilm inhibition reached 68.4–75.8% at 1× MIC. Antioxidant activity demonstrated strong radical-scavenging efficiency: DPPH (73.6%), ABTS (68%) and H₂O₂ (63%) at 1000 µg/ml.
Conclusion: Biofabricated CuO NPs derived from D. sissoo exhibited potent antibacterial, antibiofilm and antioxidant properties, supporting their potential as eco-friendly nanomaterials for combating multidrug-resistant infections and oxidative stress-related conditions.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Hafsa Munir , Muhammad Naeem , Usman Naseer , Meryem Mehmood , Tanveer Aslam , Areej Safdar , Muhammad Hassam Saleem , Shazia Aslam (Author)

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