FORMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COPPER NANOPARTICLES OF CURCUMA ZEDOARIA FOR EFFECTIVE TOPICAL FUNGAL TREATMENT
Sushma Prajapati, Satkar Prasad
ABSTRACT
Fungal infections of the skin are a widespread health concern requiring effective and safe topical therapies. The present study focuses on the formulation and characterization of copper nanoparticles using Curcuma zedoaria extract for enhanced antimicrobial and antifungal activity. The plant extract was prepared using petroleum ether and hydroalcoholic solvents, with the hydroalcoholic extract showing a higher yield (8.92% w/w). Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of bioactive constituents such as flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, and diterpenes, which play a vital role in nanoparticle synthesis and therapeutic activity. Copper nanoparticles were synthesized using a green synthesis approach and formulated into topical gel preparations (F1–F6). Among these, formulation F3 exhibited the highest percentage yield (80.62 ± 0.22%) and entrapment efficiency (0.728 ± 0.024 mg/100 mg). The optimized formulation showed an average particle size of 157.2 nm and a zeta potential of -40.26 mV, indicating good stability. The prepared gel formulations were evaluated for physical characteristics, spreadability, viscosity, pH, and drug content, where F3 demonstrated superior properties and compatibility with skin. In vitro drug release studies revealed that formulation F2 showed maximum cumulative drug release (98.78% at 4 hours) and followed zero-order kinetics, indicating controlled release behavior. Antimicrobial studies demonstrated that the copper nanoparticle gel exhibited significantly higher activity against Streptococcus mutans and Escherichia coli compared to the plain extract, confirming the enhanced efficacy of the nanoparticle system. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that copper nanoparticles of Curcuma zedoaria can be successfully formulated into a stable and effective topical gel with improved antimicrobial activity. This approach offers a promising strategy for the treatment of fungal and microbial skin infections with enhanced therapeutic performance.
[Full Text Article]