Green synthesis of Cu nanoparticles using Biarum chaduchrum leaf extract and their efficacy against multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a leading chronic bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). The current therapeutic management of M. tuberculosis is insufficient due to the prolonged course of treatment and undesired adverse effects that may lead to therapy failure and the development of drug-resistant tuberculosis, which in turn represents crucial challenges to the management of tuberculosis worldwide. Biarum chaduchrum leaf extract was used for green synthesis of copper (Cu)- nanoparticles (NPs), and the characteristics of Cu-NPs were determined by DLS, SEM, UV–Vis, zeta potential, and XRD. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of biosynthesized Cu-NPs in comparison with current antibiotic options against MDR M. tuberculosis and human A549 lung cells. The synthesized Cu-NPs exhibited a spherical structure with an average diameter of ~ 214 nm and a zeta potential of − 30 mV. The findings of MIC and MBC investigations revealed that Cu-NPs significantly reduced the viability of MDR tuberculosis and inhibited the growth of bacteria comparable to rifampin, isoniazid, linezolid, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin (p-value < 0.05). However, the CC50 value of NPs was lower than selected antibiotics (p-value < 0.05). These findings may suggest the promising therapeutic efficacy of green synthesized Cu-NPs against MDR tuberculosis. Nevertheless, further investigations, particularly in vivo studies, are crucially required to evaluate the long-term safety and therapeutic potential of Cu-NPs.