Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, 44023, Koya, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq.
2
Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Knowledge University, Erbil, Iraq.
3
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Soran University, 44008, Soran, Iraq.
4
Department of Nursing, Raparin Technical and Vocational Institute, Rania, 46012, Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
5
Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Science, Knowledge University, Erbil, Iraq.
6
Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Knowledge University, 44001, Erbil, Iraq.
7
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Health, Koya University, Koya, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq.
Abstract
The present study investigates the phytochemical composition, vitamin content, and bioactive properties of Cucurbita pepo leaves, alongside their application in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Ethanolic and acetone extracts of Cucurbita pepo leaves were analyzed for their total phenolic and flavonoid content, revealing significant antioxidant and metal-chelating activities, with ethanol proving to be the superior solvent. Chromatographic and spectrophotometric analyses identified a diverse profile of phenolic compounds and vitamins, including ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol. The green synthesis of AgNPs was achieved using these extracts, with nanoparticles characterized by UV-Vis, SEM, EDX, and XRD techniques, confirming their stability and crystalline structure. The synthesized AgNPs exhibited promising antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria, outperforming the crude extracts. This study highlights Cucurbita pepo leaves as a rich source of natural antioxidants, vitamins, and bioactive compounds with potential applications in nanotechnology with antimicrobial therapies.
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