Corallocarpus epigaeus mediated synthesis of ZnO/CuO integrated ZrO2 nanoparticles for enhanced in-vitro antibacterial, antifungal and antidiabetic activities

Zirconia based nanocomposites have attracted much research attention in recent years due to their exceptional biomedicinal activities. Rhizome extracts of Corallocarpus epigaeus based ZrO2/CuO-ZnO nanocomposite were green synthesized in a facile synthesis strategy. The nanocomposites were examined with XRD technique for their structural information and FT-IR technique for surface functional group analysis. Electron microscopic images aided to elucidate the CuO and ZnO nanoparticles decorated ZrO2 nanostructures. UV-vis absorption spectroscopic studies of the nanocomposite revealed the characteristic UV absorption of ZrO2 and enhanced visible region absorption for the incorporated nanoparticles. Antibacterial and antifungal studies indicated enhanced activity of nanocomposites over the pristine zirconia nanoparticles. ZrO2/CuO-ZnO nanocomposite had exhibited about 75% of alpha-amylase inhibition activity, whereas pristine ZrO2 nanoparticles had exhibited only 57% suggesting the worthwhile application in the antidiabetic activity of the nanocomposite.