Green Synthesis, Characterization of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles (CuO NPs) Using Ctenolepsis cerasiformis Extract and Its Effects on Selected Bacterial and Fungal Human Pathogens

Plants are often regarded as nature's chemical factories due to their minimal maintenance needs and remarkable efficiency. This prompts an exploration into the sustainable production of copper oxide nanoparticles using an aqueous extract from the medicinal plant Ctenolepis cerasiformis. Consequently, the focus shifts to the green synthesis and characterization of these nanoparticles derived from the plant's extract. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS) were employed to analyze the copper oxide nanoparticles. Antibacterial assessments were conducted against clinically relevant bacteria, including Klebsiella pneumonia (MTCC 3384), Vibrio cholera (MTCC 3904), Salmonella typhi (MTCC 98), Staphylococcus epidermis (MTCC 435), Enterococcus faecalis (MTCC 439), Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 3160), and Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 441), with Streptomycin serving as the control. Additionally, antifungal evaluations were carried out against significant human fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus niger (MTCC 5889), Aspergillus flavus (MTCC 873), Candida albicans (MTCC 183), Candida glabrata (MTCC 3019), Penicillium spp. (MTCC 517), and Trichoderma (MTCC 3439), using Amphotericin-B as the control for these studies. The findings of this research indicate that copper oxide nanoparticles derived from Ctenolepis cerasiformis exhibit significant level of anti-microbial activities. The MIC of the positive control streptomycin was 10μg/ml. The MIC of Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhi, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis,Vibrio cholera, Staphylococcus epidermis and Staphylococcus aureus were 11.7, 13, 11.7, 11.7, 28.6, 28.6, 23.4 μg/ml respectively.  The MIC of Aspergillusniger, Aspergillusflavus, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Pencillium, Tricoderma were 0.40, 0.56, 0.40, 0.89, 0.89, 1.62 μg/ml respectively. It is significantly evident that the nanoparticles from the Ctenolepsis cerasiformis possess anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity against clinically important microorganisms.