Antibacterial Activities of Phytofabricated ZnO and CuO NPs by Mentha pulegium Leaf/flower Mixture Extract against Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

In this study, leaf/flower aqueous extract of medicinal plant species Mentha pulegium was used to synthesize ZnO and CuO nanoparticles (NPs) as a cost-effective, one-step, and eco-friendly method.

Physicochemical properties of both metal oxide NPs (MONPs) were determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques.

Phytofabricated ZnONPs and CuNPs illustrated 65.02±7.55 and 26.92±4.7 nm with antibacterial activities against antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Higher antibacterial activities were observed for CuONPs compared with ZnONPs.

Large surface area and more reactivity resulted from smaller size as well as higher production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were considered to antibacterial efficiency of CuONPs against antibiotic-resistant E. coli and S. aureus.