Plant-Based Biosynthesis of Copper/Copper Oxide Nanoparticles: An Update on Their Applications in Biomedicine, Mechanisms, and Toxicity

Abstract

Plants are rich in phytoconstituent biomolecules that served as a good source of medicine. More recently, they have been employed in synthesizing metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) due to their capping and reducing properties. This green synthesis approach is environmentally friendly and allows the production of the desired NPs in different sizes and shapes by manipulating parameters during the synthesis process. The most commonly used metals and oxides are gold (Au), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu). Among these, Cu is a relatively low-cost metal that is more cost-effective than Au and Ag. In this review, we present an overview and current update of plant-mediated Cu/copper oxide (CuO) NPs, including their synthesis, medicinal applications, and mechanisms. Furthermore, the toxic effects of these NPs and their efficacy compared to commercial NPs are reviewed. This review provides an insight into the potential of developing plant-based Cu/CuO NPs as a therapeutic agent for various diseases in the future.

Plant-Based Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles: Production, Characterization and Applications

“…Nanotechnology is a fast-expanding and multidisciplinary field with many applications in science and technology [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. This field combines key concepts from a variety of disciplines, including chemistry, engineering, physics, and biology, in order to provide novel methods for controlling and generating nanoparticles (NPs).…”

Biosynthesis and Cytotoxic Properties of Ag, Au, and Bimetallic Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Lithospermum erythrorhizon Callus Culture Extract

“…The lack of demand for hazardous chemicals and harsh reaction conditions has made the green synthesis approach an interesting area for further research in the field of nanobiotechnology. To date, nanoparticles made of silver [40,41], gold [42,43], platinum [44,45], palladium [46,47], titanium [48,49], iron [50], zinc, and copper [51,52] have been manufactured. Surprisingly, plants also appear to be capable of nanoparticle formation within the cells [53][54][55][56].…”

Evaluation of the Safety and Toxicity of the Original Copper Nanocomposite Based on Poly-N-vinylimidazole

“…Due to the ability to exist in different redox states, copper ions can act as catalytic cofactors for various enzymes involved in such fundamental processes as oxidative phosphorylation, antioxidant protection, the formation of connective tissue, blood coagulation, iron transport, synthesis of neurotransmitters, and others [ 7 ]. In particular, copper is a cofactor for such key enzymes as superoxide dismutase, cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), and tyrosinase [ 8 ]. However, the most important function of copper is the one associated with energy metabolism and based on the activity of mitochondrial CcO, which is a heme-copper terminal oxidase playing the role of the final acceptor in the electron transfer chain and necessary for ATP production and molecular oxygen reduction [ 6 , 9 ].…”

“…Nevertheless, the usage of new copper-containing nanocomposites as an alternative to organic copper compounds in pharmacology and medicine is most promising [ 20 ]. Thus, it was shown that copper nanoparticles (CuNPs and CuO NPs) can be applied as antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory agents as well as therapeutic agents for wound healing [ 8 , 21 ]. In this case, the antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor properties of these nanocomposites are caused by their cytotoxicity [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

“…For example, for different cell lines, it was noted that IC50 ranged from 54.34 µg/mL [ 30 ] to 1000 µg/mL [ 34 ]; for animal models (Swiss albino mice), the lethal dose was 800 mg/kg [ 30 ]. However, plant-mediated CuNPs were demonstrated to be relatively safe for normal human cell lines [ 8 ].…”