Biogenic synthesis of levofloxacin-loaded copper oxide nanoparticles using Cymbopogon citratus: A green approach for effective antibacterial applications

Amina Jabeen; Abdulhameed Khan; Pervaiz Ahmad; Awais Khalid; Maha Saeed Ibrahim Wizrah; Zeeshan Anjum; Satam Alotibi; Bandar Hamad Aloufi; Abdulaziz M Alanazi; Ohoud A Jefri; Mohamed A Ismail

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27018

Biogenic synthesis of levofloxacin-loaded copper oxide nanoparticles using Cymbopogon citratus: A green approach for effective antibacterial applications

Heliyon. 2024 Feb 28;10(6):e27018. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27018. eCollection 2024 Mar 30.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biotechnology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, 13100, Pakistan.
² Department of Physics, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, 13100, Pakistan.
³ Department of Physics, College of Science and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Biology, College of Science and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Madinah, 42351, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, 61411, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Despite the success of antibiotics in medicine, the treatment of bacterial infection is still challenging due to emerging resistance and suitable drug delivery system, therefore, innovative approaches focused on nanoparticles based antimicrobial drug delivery systems are highly desired. This research aimed to synthesize Cymbopogon citratus (C. citratus) aqueous extract-mediated copper oxide (CuO-Nps) conjugated with levofloxacin (LFX). The synthesized CuO NPs-LFX nano conjugate was confirmed by analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and infrared and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. Antibacterial activities were assessed in vitro through the agar well diffusion method against six bacterial strains of clinical relevance. CuO NPs confirmed by UV-Vis analysis absorption peak observed at 380 nm. TGA analysis showed 8.98% weight loss between the 400-800 $° C$ temperature range. The functional group's presence was confirmed by FTIR analysis. Spherical shape nanoparticles with an average particle size of 55 nm were recorded by FESEM. Results from agar well diffusion assay showed that CuO NPs-LFX prohibited the development of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria at all established concentrations, and the antibacterial propensity was more pronounced as compared to bare CuO NPs, Levofloxacin and C. citratus aqueous extract alone. The results showed that gram-negative bacteria are more susceptible to CuO NPs-LFX nano conjugate and at 10 μgmL^-1 concentration, form a 10.1 mm zone of inhibition (ZOI), whereas gram-positive bacteria on the same concentration form 9.5 mm ZOI. LFX-loaded CuO NPs antibacterial activity was observed higher than plant extract, bare CuO NPs, and standard drug (Levofloxacin). This study provides a novel approach for the fabrication of biogenic CuO NPs with antibacterial drug levofloxacin and their usage as nano antibiotic carriers against pathogenic bacteria, especially antibiotic-resistant microbes.

Keywords: Antibacterial; CuO NPs; Cymbopogon citratus; Drug loading; Levofloxacin; Pathogens.