Controlled synthesis of Ag/CuO nanocomposites: evaluation of their antimycobacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer activities

Herein we summarize the production of silver/copper oxide nanocomposites (Ag/CuO NCs) by a facile solution combustion method with the aid of abio-fuel as reductant. Powder XRD results revealed the formation of Ag/CuO NCs with average crystallite size ranging from 20 to 25 nm. These NCs were tested for their antimycobacterial activity against four mycobacterium species namely Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv ATCC 27294, Mycobacterium abscessus ATCC 19977, Mycobacterium fortuitum ATCC 6841, Mycobacterium chelonae ATCC and anticarcinogenic activity on breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Scavenging activity was evaluated by the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) method. Results indicated that the Ag/CuO NCs had higher anticancer and slightly better scavenging activities than the undoped CuO nanoparticles.