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In this work, Andean sacha inchi (<i>Plukenetia volubilis</i> L.) leaves were used to prepare monodispersed cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) nanoparticles under heating. Visual color changes and UV-visible spectroscopy of colloidal nanoparticles showed λ_max at 255 nm, revealing the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis indicated that the prepared nanoparticles were spherical with an average size of 6–10 nm. The semi-crystalline nature and Cu₂O phase of as-prepared nanoparticles were examined by X-ray diffraction. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of polyphenols, alkaloids and sugar in the sacha inchi leaf, allowing the formation of Cu₂O nanoparticles from Cu²⁺. Additionally, as-synthesized Cu₂O nanoparticles exhibited good photocatalytic degradation activity against methylene blue (>78%, 150 min) with rate constant 0.0219106 min⁻¹. The results suggested that the adopted method is low-cost, simple, ecofriendly and highly selective for the synthesis of small Cu₂O nanoparticles and may be used as a nanocatalyst in the future in the efficient treatment of organic pollutants in water.