Pectin mediated green synthesis of CuO nanoparticles: evaluation of its cytotoxicity, antioxidant and anti-human cervical cancer properties

Abstract Regarding applicative, facile, green chemical research, a bio-inspired approach is being reported for the synthesis of CuO nanoparticles by pectin (PEC) as a natural reducing and stabilizing agentin alkaline medium without using any toxic reducing agent. The biosynthesized CuO NPs@Pectin were characterized by advanced physicochemical techniques like ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis), Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) study. It has been established that pectin-stabilized copper nanoparticles have a spherical shape with a mean diameter from approximately 10 nm. To survey the cytotoxicity and anti-human cervical cancer effects of CuO NPs@Pectin, MTT assay was used on C-33 A [c-33a], SiHa, Ca Ski, DoTc2 4510, HT-3 and LM-MEL-41 cell lines. The resulting IC50 values of the CuO NPs@Pectin against C-33 A [c-33a], SiHa, Ca Ski, DoTc2 4510, HT-3 and LM-MEL-41 cell lines were 231, 214, 243, 376, 315 and 169 µg/mL, respectively. Antioxidant properties of CuO NPs@Pectin were surveyed through the DPPH test in presence of butylated hydroxytoluene as the positive control. The CuO NPs@Pectin inhibited half of the DPPH molecules in the concentration of 98 µg/mL. The cell viability of the treated cell lines was found to reduce dose-dependently over the CuO NPs@Pectin nanocomposite. After approving the above results in the clinical trial studies, the CuO NPs@Pectin can be used as a chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of several types of cervical cancers.