Plant mediated precipitation reaction; a screening study to fabricate copper-based nanoparticles with enhanced antimicrobial power

Plant extracts offer diverse phytochemical stabilizers that may enhance the antimicrobial effectiveness of copper-based nanoparticles. In this study extracts from 21 different plant tissues were employed in this regard via hydrolysis reactions. Nicotiana rustica leaf extract emerged as a particularly effective stabilizer, increasing antimicrobial activity by 1.75 times against Staphylococcus aureus , although it did not influence antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli . N. rustica extract reduced particle size from 379–2,125 nm to 5–35 nm and also decreased crystal size from 236 Å to 84 Å. The nanoparticles were identified as Cu(OH) 2 crystals, and N. rustica extract had no effect on the crystal structure. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that aliphatic hydrocarbons, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds from N. rustica capped the surface of the nanoparticles. This capping changed the zeta potential from −40.4 ± 1.6 mV to 16.2 ± 0.6 mV, making it more suitable for antimicrobial purposes. Thus, N. rustica extract proves to be an innovative stabilizer that enhances both the physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of copper-based nanoparticles.