Structurally identified curcumin-Ag/ZnO nanocomposite having antibacterial effect: an investigation

Taking advantage of zinc oxide (ZnO), silver (Ag) and curcumin (Cur) properties, the Cur-Ag/ZnO nanocomposite ( CNCs) are reported here. Electron spray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI–MS) confirmed the presence of curcumin mass fragments in the reported CNCs. Further, the existence of keto-enolic state of Cur in CNCs has been confirmed by NMR study. Photoluminescence (PL) and fluorescence microscopy techniques have evaluated the detailed fluorescence behavior of synthesized CNCs. The antibacterial activity of as fabricated CNCs was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) bacteria. Incorporation of Ag/ZnO NPs into the Cur matrix reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) from 0.62(Cur) to 0.31 mg/ml (Cur ZnAg2). These studies demonstrated that structurally explored CNCs, which can be used as antibacterial agent in different biomedical applications.