Green Synthesis of Copper Oxide and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Crossandra Infundibuliformis Extract and Its Antibacterial Application in Wound Dressing Films

Abstract

Plant extract-based green production of metal oxide nanoparticles is a viable substitute for the conventional chemical synthesis approach. This biogenic process can be scaled up rapidly and executed at room temperature and pressure. The current work compares the antibacterial activity of chemically manufactured copper oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles with those produced using a plant extract from Crossandra infundibuliformis. Furthermore, the study also encompasses preparation of wound dressing film using the developed nanoparticles and evaluation of its potential antimicrobial property. The optical characterization of the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited an absorption peak of 574 nm and 333 nm with corresponding mean size of 50 nm and 40 nm for copper oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles, respectively. The highest zone of inhibition by both the nanoparticles against K. pneumoniae, followed by S. epidermidis, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Both the nanoparticles tested for determination of its minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentration exhibited significant activity towards the test pathogens. The wound dressing film developed utilizing the nanoparticles displayed considerable zone of inhibition against the pathogens. Therefore, the it could be ascertained from the work that nanoparticles synthesized through biogenic routes tend to exhibit substantial antibacterial activity.