Green revolution in nanotechnology: phytogenic CuO nanoparticles for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were synthesized using a green approach with Vitis vinifera L. extract, a plant rich in secondary metabolites that act as natural reducing agents. The obtained CuO NPs were characterized by XRD, EDX, and STEM analyses. FT-IR analysis revealed the presence of functional groups originating from plant biomolecules and confirmed the formation of Cu–O bonds, indicating the successful synthesis and stabilization of CuO NPs. XRD confirmed distinctive CuO diffraction peaks at 32.38°, 35.35°, 38.61°, 40.75°, 48.79°, 51.90°, 57.66°, 61.38°, 65.94°, and 75.12°. STEM imaging showed predominantly spherical, well-dispersed nanoparticles with an average size of 23–38 nm. Antibacterial analysis revealed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 µg mL−1 against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. In anticancer assays, the CuO NPs demonstrated notable cytotoxicity at both low concentrations and even at levels below the control group in A549, Calu-1, and Saos-2 cancer cell lines, highlighting their strong biomedical potential.