GREEN SYNTHESIS OF MAGNESIUM OXIDE NANOPARTICLES USING CLEOME VISCOSA EXTRACT AND THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AGAINST GRAM-POSITIVE AND GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA

Abstract

This study explores the green synthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) using Cleome Viscosa leaves extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent, followed by their characterization and evaluation of antibacterial activity. Addressing the rising antimicrobial resistance to conventional antibiotics, we employed an eco-friendly approach to synthesize MgO NPs, eliminating hazardous chemicals. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to confirm their optical properties, functional groups, crystalline structure, and morphology. Antibacterial efficacy was tested via the agar well diffusion method against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria, using penicillin as a positive control. Concentrations of 10, 15, 20, and 25 µg/mL showed dose-dependent increases in zones of inhibition, indicating strong microbial disruption. These findings suggest that Cleome Viscosa-mediated MgO NPs offer promising, environmentally sustainable alternatives for novel antimicrobial agents. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on Cleome Viscosa–mediated synthesis of MgO nanoparticles with systematic antibacterial evaluation.