Biogenic synthesis of copper oxide nanosheets using Celastrus paniculatus: Insights into antibacterial and anticancer efficacy supported by computational study

Abstract

The metallic nanomaterials synthesized using green nanotechnology have recently gained attention for their low-cost, simple preparation methods, and environmental sustainability. In this study, biogenic copper oxide nanosheets (CuO NS) were synthesized using the seed extract of Celastrus paniculatus, and characterized by various advanced instrumentation techniques including FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and TEM analysis. Docking simulation studies demonstrated that the interaction between CuO NS and the Staphylococcus aureus receptor (2I80) was strong, with docking scores ranging from −4.0 to −5.1 and a free binding energy of −24.48 ± 0.63 kcal/mol. The antibacterial activity of CuO NS against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes was analyzed by well diffusion method. In addition to that, antibiofilm, ROS generation, growth kinetics, and anticancer efficacy of CuO NS was also evaluated. The anticancer results indicated that CuO NS effectively reduced the cell viability of both cancer cell lines (MCF 7 & MDA MB 231). The findings from the antibacterial and anticancer studies suggest that the biologically synthesized CuO NS could serve as a promising alternative for bacterial diseases and cancer treatments.