Plantain peel extract–mediated synthesis of CuO nanoparticles: comprehensive characterization, bioinertness in vitro and in vivo, and anticancer evaluation: Original scientific paper

Srimathi JaganMoorthy; Pranav Raaj  Subbarayan Ravichandar; Harini Ganesan; Balasubramanian Deepika; Pazhani  Durgadevi; Arulsamy  Arokyapraveen; Agnishwar Girigoswami; Koyeli Girigoswami

doi:10.5599/admet.3203

Authors

Srimathi JaganMoorthy Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6010-1045
Pranav Raaj Subbarayan Ravichandar Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, India https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2776-7243
Harini Ganesan Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, India https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5896-4820
Balasubramanian Deepika Department of Pathology, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4441-7863
Pazhani Durgadevi Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Chettinad Health City, Kelambakkam, 603103, Tamilnadu, India https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3899-5878
Arulsamy Arokyapraveen Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Chettinad Health City, Kelambakkam, 603103, Tamilnadu, India https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9022-3354
Agnishwar Girigoswami Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Chettinad Health City, Kelambakkam, 603103, Tamilnadu, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0475-2544
Koyeli Girigoswami Medical Bionanotechnology Lab, Centre for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Thandalam, Chennai, 602105, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1554-5241

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5599/admet.3203

Keywords:

Health care, copper oxide nanoparticles, HepG2 cell killing, zebrafish embryos, plantain peel

Abstract

Background and purpose: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, failing to identify a complete cure. Liver cancer is the sixth most frequent cancer worldwide, and its cure is still not assured. Nanoparticles, especially the metal oxide nanoparticles, have been explored as anticancer agents in recent times. In an attempt to make the best use of waste, plantain peel, a byproduct of agriculture, was used to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles. Experimental approach: The plantain peel extract was evaluated for its chemical composition by GC-MS analysis, which revealed a predominant presence of tetratetracontane. The copper oxide nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). Bio-inertness was assessed using an MTT assay of fibroblasts, a haemolysis assay, and zebrafish embryo analysis. The anticancer activity against HepG2 cells was estimated. Key results: The absorption peak was found at 402 nm, the hydrodynamic diameter was 323 nm, the zeta potential was +10.74 mV, and a band gap of 1.3 eV. The SEM images showed a size range of 54 to 85 nm with a chrysanthemum-petal-like morphology. EDAX showed the presence of Cu and O, and the XRD and FTIR peaks corroborated with that of CuO. The result showed that up to a dose of 50 μg mL^-1, the nanoparticles did not induce any toxicity. Finally, the anticancer activity, evaluated using the HepG2 cell line, showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect with an IC50 of 26.20 μg mL^-1. Conclusion: The outcome of this study suggested that the synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles can be used at controlled doses to kill cancer cells. Further studies are needed using other cancer cell lines and in vivo cancer models.

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