In vitro antioxidant activities of copper mixed oxide (CuO/Cu2O) nanoparticles produced from the leaves of Phoenix dactylifera L

Biosynthesis of antioxidant nanoparticles using plant extracts is a simple, rapid, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective approach. In this study, in vitro antioxidant copper mixed oxide nanoparticles (CuO/Cu2O) were prepared from the alcoholic extract of Phoenix Dactylifera L. and different aqueous concentrations of CuSO4 center dot 5H(2)O. The composition, crystallinity, morphology, and particle size of CuO/Cu2O NPs were tuned by increasing the CuSO4 center dot 5H(2)O concentration from 4 to 10 mM. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the reduction of CuSO4.5H(2)O and the formation of the CuO/Cu2O NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the crystalline nature of the CuO/Cu2O NPs with a crystallite size varying from 18 to 35 nm. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) showed that the CuO/Cu2O NPs have a spherical morphology with particle sizes ranging from 25 to 100 nm. The best antioxidant CuO/Cu2O NPs have a phase ratio of about 1:1 CuO/Cu2O with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.39 mg/ml, an iron-containing reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of 432 mg EFeSO4/100 mg NPs, and a total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of 65 mg EAA/gNPs. The results suggest that the synthesized CuO/Cu2O NPs are excellent antioxidants for therapeutic applications.

Automated summary

Biosynthesis of antioxidant nanoparticles using plant extracts is a simple and cost-effective method. CuO/Cu2O NPs with tunable composition, crystallinity, morphology, and particle size were successfully synthesized by adjusting the concentration of CuSO4.5H2O. The best CuO/Cu2O NPs exhibited excellent antioxidant properties.