Development and Characterization of Copper Nanoparticle‐Embedded pH‐responsive Polymeric Microbeads for Drug Delivery and Antibacterial Applications.

Copper nanoparticles have been utilized in a variety of therapeutic applications because of their inexpensive manufacturing and unique characteristics. In the current study, novel nanocomposites are developed to carry bioactive agents in a controlled manner. Copper nanoparticles (Cu‐NPs) were synthesized from copper sulfate using a leaf extract of Phyllanthus virgatus as a reducing agent. The obtained Cu‐NPs are loaded into the polymeric matrix of sodium alginate and locust bean gum to generate microbeads. The developed microbeads were characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Swelling and in vitro release studies were performed at pH 2.0 and 7.4 at 37 °C. Metronidazole (MTD) was used as a model agent, and the antibacterial activity of microbeads was tested against Streptococcus mutans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Bacillus subtilis. The release kinetics and MTD release pattern were analyzed by employing the MTD release data into Korsmeyer‐Peppas equation and other kinetic models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]