Pharmacological Applications of Biosynthesized Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

Introduction: Copper oxide nanoparticles are gaining popularity among the various nanoparticles in many biological applications. Methods: Bacillus subtilis was used for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles, which were further characterized using analytical techniques. The antioxidant activity of copper oxide nanoparticles was assessed using the DPPH assay, and their anti-diabetic activity was screened using an alpha amylase inhibition assay. Antibacterial effectiveness was evaluated using an agar well diffusion method to determine the lowest inhibitory concentration. Cytotoxicity and anticancer activity were assessed on L929 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively, through an MTT assay. Results: UV-visible absorbance peaks, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy- Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) demonstrated that the nanoparticles are rounded and well-distributed, containing only small amounts of impurities. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) identified functional groups involved in nanoparticle stabilization, while X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the crystalline phases of copper oxide nanoparticles. Biological applications reports indicate the efficiency of copper oxide nanoparticles. Discussion: In an antioxidant test, the IC50 value of standard and copper oxide nanoparticles was found to be 70.90µg/ml and 200.80µg/ml, respectively. In antidiabetic screening, the IC50 value of standard and copper oxide nanoparticles was found to be 35.54 µg/ml and 187.56 µg/ml, respectively. In an antibacterial activity study, Gram-positive bacteria exhibited a modest response compared to Gram-negative bacteria and C. albicans. The anti-cancer effect of copper oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by significant changes in the expression of apoptosis, as screened against the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Conclusion: Biosynthesized copper oxide nanoparticles could be considered as potential antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anticancer agents.