Publication Details
Abstract
Medicinal plants, such as Artemisia vulgaris, have gained increasing attention in traditional and complementary medicine due to their rich content of bioactive phytochemicals with multi-target antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In recent years, nanotechnology, particularly iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄), has emerged as a promising tool to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. Coating these nanoparticles with chitosan enhances their biostability and antimicrobial efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ethanol extract of A. vulgaris, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, and chitosan-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The plant extract was prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus, nanoparticles were synthesized via the co-precipitation method, and chitosan coating was applied at various concentrations. Antibacterial activity was assessed using the disc diffusion method, while XRD, SEM, TEM, and Zeta analysis were employed for characterization. Results showed that the ethanol extract exhibited notable antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 18–26 mm. Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles further improved inhibition, and chitosan coating led to a significant increase, reaching up to 35 mm for K. pneumoniae and 34 mm for S. aureus at the highest concentration. Microscopic analyses indicated that chitosan coating enhanced nanoparticle dispersion and prevented aggregation. These findings suggest that combining medicinal plant extracts with chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles offers a promising approach for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, opening the way for potential applications in antimicrobial therapy.