Oxytetracycline loading onto Cu–CuO/Cu2O nanocomposites (NCs): structural characterization and enhanced antimicrobial activity
5 affiliations
- 1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Babylon Babylon Al Hillah Iraq
- 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Babylon Babylon Al Hillah Iraq
- 3Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Babylon Babylon Al Hillah Iraq
- 4Department of Laser Physics, College of Science for Women, University of Babylon Babylon Al Hillah Iraq
- 5Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Babylon Babylon Al Hillah Iraq
Abstract
In this study, the chemical reduction technique was utilized to create a three-phase nanocomposite system including metallic copper (Cu0), cupric oxide (CuO, Cu2+), and cuprous oxide (Cu2O, Cu+) inside a single matrix in one step. The Cu–CuO/Cu2O nanocomposite NCs were analyzed by XRD, SEM, EDX, and FT-IR to study the structural and chemical properties. The XRD analysis elucidated the crystallinity of the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NPs, revealing multiple patterns of copper, including Cu, CuO, and Cu2O, with a mean particle size of 21.2 nm. SEM + EDX show the morphology of the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs with an average grain diameter ≈30 nm and a distribution range of 5–53 nm. The SEM images proved loading of the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs with the Oxytetracycline (OTC) drug. Oxytetracycline (OTC) was delivered with the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs for developing resistance against microbial pathogens. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of the OTC@Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs against the Gram-negative bacteria E. coli was 62 µg mL−1 with an IC50 of 29.4 µg mL−1. While the minimum inhibitory concentration of OTC@Cu–CuO/Cu2O NPs against the Gram-positive bacteria Staph. aureus was 62 µg mL−1 with an IC50 of 21.8 µg mL−1. Additionally, the minimum inhibitory concentration of OTC@Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs versus Candida albicans was 250 µg mL−1, with an IC50 of 37.5 µg mL−1. It is therefore found that this study could be used in the formulation of nano@drug conjugates that serve as antimicrobial agents in various fields of medical and pharmaceutical research.
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BibTeX
@article{hammadi2026oxytetracycline,
title = {{Oxytetracycline loading onto Cu–CuO/Cu2O nanocomposites (NCs): structural characterization and enhanced antimicrobial activity}},
author = {Asmaa H. Hammadi and Saba Abdulmunem Habeeb and Lena Fadhil Hamza and Amer Al-Nafiey and Rafal Al-Assaly},
journal = {RSC advances},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1039/d6ra06019f},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13673698},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Oxytetracycline loading onto Cu–CuO/Cu2O nanocomposites (NCs): structural characterization and enhanced antimicrobial activity
AU - Asmaa H. Hammadi
AU - Saba Abdulmunem Habeeb
AU - Lena Fadhil Hamza
AU - Amer Al-Nafiey
AU - Rafal Al-Assaly
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - RSC advances
DO - 10.1039/d6ra06019f
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13673698
AB - In this study, the chemical reduction technique was utilized to create a three-phase nanocomposite system including metallic copper (Cu0), cupric oxide (CuO, Cu2+), and cuprous oxide (Cu2O, Cu+) inside a single matrix in one step. The Cu–CuO/Cu2O nanocomposite NCs were analyzed by XRD, SEM, EDX, and FT-IR to study the structural and chemical properties. The XRD analysis elucidated the crystallinity of the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NPs, revealing multiple patterns of copper, including Cu, CuO, and Cu2O, with a mean particle size of 21.2 nm. SEM + EDX show the morphology of the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs with an average grain diameter ≈30 nm and a distribution range of 5–53 nm. The SEM images proved loading of the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs with the Oxytetracycline (OTC) drug. Oxytetracycline (OTC) was delivered with the Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs for developing resistance against microbial pathogens. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration of the OTC@Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs against the Gram-negative bacteria E. coli was 62 µg mL−1 with an IC50 of 29.4 µg mL−1. While the minimum inhibitory concentration of OTC@Cu–CuO/Cu2O NPs against the Gram-positive bacteria Staph. aureus was 62 µg mL−1 with an IC50 of 21.8 µg mL−1. Additionally, the minimum inhibitory concentration of OTC@Cu–CuO/Cu2O NCs versus Candida albicans was 250 µg mL−1, with an IC50 of 37.5 µg mL−1. It is therefore found that this study could be used in the formulation of nano@drug conjugates that serve as antimicrobial agents in various fields of medical and pharmaceutical research.
SN - 2046-2069
ER -