GREEN SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND BIOACTIVITIES OF COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLES FROM CAUSONIS TRIFOLIA: ANTIMICROBIAL, ANTIOXIDANT, AND ANTIPROLIFERATIVE PROPERTIES

The environmentally friendly, simple, and cost-efficient nature of green nanoparticle synthesis has attracted considerable interest. Recent research has significantly expanded into plant-based nanoparticle synthesis and their biomedical applications. Among various metals, copper (Cu) is preferred for nanoparticle synthesis due to its established antimicrobial properties, medical applications, and high lethality against pathogens. In the present study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were derived from the stem, leaf, and fruit extracts of Causonis trifolia and characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The formation of CuO NPs was confirmed by spectral analysis, with UV-Vis absorbance at 280–350 nm and FTIR peaks at 500–600 cm-1 indicating copper oxide vibrations. SEM analysis revealed particle morphology with agglomerates, while XRD confirmed a monoclinic structure with crystallite sizes of 35.0 nm (leaf extract), 27.0 nm (stem extract), and 7.0 nm (fruit extract). The biomedical potential of CuO NPs was tested against Gram +ve and Gram -ve bacteria, fungal strains, and antioxidant & antiproliferative activities. Fruit extract-derived CuO NPs showed the maximum antibacterial activity against Clostridium perfringens (38 mm @ 500 µg/mL), Bacillus licheniformis (36 mm @ 500 µg/mL), Vibrio cholerae (35 mm @ 500 µg/mL), and Salmonella enterica (35 mm @ 500 µg/mL). Additionally, significant antifungal activity was observed against Saccharomyces cerevisiae (28 mm @ 500 µg/mL) and Candida albicans (23 mm @ 500 µg/mL), followed by stem and leaf-derived nanoparticles. The antioxidant and antiproliferative activities were concentrationdependent, with fruit-derived CuO NPs demonstrating the highest cytotoxicity (93.47% at 1000 µg/mL), followed by stem and leaf-derived CuO NPs (71.22%). These research findings demonstrate the potential of eco-friendly synthesized CuO NPs using novel Causonis trifolia as effective antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiproliferative agents, supporting their application in biotechnology, biomedical, and pharmaceutical fields.