<i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i> Copper Nanoparticles: In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of the Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Antidiabetic Activities

The rapid growth of nanotechnology has opened new frontiers in biomedical applications, particularly through the use of metal nanoparticles. This study explores the green synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using an aqueous extract of Pleurotus ostreatus (PO-CuNPs) and their characterization through UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, and EDAX. The synthesized PO-CuNPs demonstrated exceptional antioxidant activity, evident in hydrogen peroxide scavenging and phosphomolybdenum assays. Their antibacterial efficacy was significant against Bacillus subtilis (18 ± 0.11 mm inhibition zone) and moderate against other bacterial strains. The antidiabetic potential of PO-CuNPs was confirmed by α-amylase (82%) and β-glucosidase (86%) inhibition assays. Molecular docking studies revealed kaempferol (-9.0 kcal) and quercetin (-9.2 kcal) as potent α-amylase inhibitors, while myricetin (-8.4 kcal) was most effective against β-glucosidase due to its favorable interactions. Despite high scores, rutin was excluded due to poor drug-likeliness, highlighting kaempferol and myricetin as promising antidiabetic agents. This research highlights the promising biomedical applications of P. ostreatus-based CuNPs, particularly in managing oxidative stress, microbial infections, and diabetes, showcasing their potential as eco-friendly therapeutic agents.