Green synthesis of copper nanoparticles using Artemisia annua aqueous extract and its characterization, antioxidant and burn wound healing activities

Abstract

Abstract the current study reports a green method for synthesizing copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using aqueous extract of Artemisia annua in a simple, and eco-friendly manner. The green synthesized CuNPs were characterized using UV–Vis, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The UV-Vis spectroscopy showed maximum absorption at 250 nm, and the average diameter of the synthesized NPs was found to be 35 nm. FTIR showed the presence of functional groups in bioactive constituents responsible for reducing Cu+ ions. The antioxidant activity of the synthesized NPs was evaluated by DPPH assay, and at 100 µg/ml green synthesized CuNPs, the highest antioxidant activity was obtained, which was 67 % and an IC50 value of 73.48 µg/ml. In the in vivo experiment, after inducing 2nd degree burn wounds, the rats were randomly divided into five group including the untreated control, treatment with eucerin basal ointment, treatment with 0.2 % CuNP ointment, treatment with 0.2 % CuNP-loaded ointment, and treatment with 5 % Artemisia annua extract twice a day for 21 days. Application of biosynthesized CuNPs ointment significantly improved the healing percentage and hydroxyproline content compared to the control. Additionally, histopathology studies showed significant progress in re-epithelization, collagen fiber deposition, and angiogenesis in the biosynthesized CuNPs in comparison to the control. The greenly synthesized CuNPs had enhanced antioxidant, and wound healing properties and, therefore, could be considered as a promising candidate in the biomedical field.