A Green perspective on the ability of nanomedicine to inhibit tuberculosis and lung cancer

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a chronic pulmonary infection that is initiated by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. People suffering from tuberculosis are at an increased risk of getting lung cancer due to inflammation and scarring of lungs, making it a suitable ground for tumor growth. Therefore, there is a need to look out for new drugs that can combat both these chronic diseases with reduced side effects. Plants exhibit chemical diversity and reduced toxicity, thereby making them favorable leads to formulate new drugs. In this study, nanoparticles of copper (CuNPs) were prepared from the aqueous extract of Coleus aromaticus, characterized, tested for its antimicrobial activity against upper respiratory tract infection causing organisms, and its potential to inhibit tuberculosis and lung cancer. The absorbance peak of the nanoparticles was found to be 320 nm, Scanning Electron Microscopy results disclosed that the average particle size varied from 30 – 50 nm, and Zeta potential was -5.7 mV. The antimicrobial results showed good zones of inhibition ranging from 10-30 mm. The antituberculosis activity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv was done by the broth microdilution method, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 500 µg/ml. The anti-cancer results showed great inhibition against lung cancer with minimum cytotoxicity to the cells. The results showed that the green nano copper was a potential drug candidate against tuberculosis and lung cancer, which are associated with chronic debilitating conditions.