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Silver Health Topic
Silver has been used for thousands of years to prevent infections. Silver has a low toxicity in the human body and was the most important antimicrobial available before the discovery of antibiotics. Silver is a common antiseptic, antibiotic and means of purifying water in the third world. Silver's antifungal properties have even put to use as a wood preservative. Silver compounds have a wide range of modern medical applications including antibacterial creams, wound dressings, linings for endotracheal tubes and urinary catheters, eyedrops, water purification, bone prostheses, reconstructive orthopedic surgery, and cancer research. Silver is especially important for preventing infections in wounds and burns. With more and more bacteria developing resistance to antibiotic drugs, researchers are turning to silver to find new ways to utilize its unique properties. The effectiveness of silver compounds is based on the ability of the biologically active silver ion to irreversibly damage key enzyme systems in the cell membranes of pathogens. Silver's antibacterial activity is particle size dependent. Small particles exhibited higher antimicrobial activity than big particles. The antibacterial action of silver has long been known to be enhanced by the presence of an electric field. A U.S. patent has been issued for the devices, materials, and techniques involved in regeneration of tissue in wounds using electrically-generated silver ions.
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Learn More About Silver
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History of the Medical Use of Silver (pdf file)
Silver has been used for at least six millennia to prevent microbial infections. It has been effective against almost all organisms tested and has been used to treat numerous infections and noninfectious conditions, sometimes with striking success. Silver also has played an important role in the development of radiology and in improving wound healing. Silver was the most important antimicrobial agent available before the introduction of antibiotics.
CONTAINS REFERENCES
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Silver Ionotophoresis: Healing and Regeneration
Robert O. Becker received a U.S. patent (5,814,094) for the devices, materials and techniques involved in regeneration of tissue using silver ions.
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Scientists Resurrecting Use of Silver As Antiseptic
Silver, one of humankind's first weapons against bacteria, is receiving new respect for its antiseptic powers. With more and more bacteria developing resistance to antibiotic drugs, some researchers and health care entrepreneurs have returned to silver for another look.
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Swimming Pool Disinfection: Efficacy of Copper/Silver Ions with Reduced Chlorine Levels
The conclusion of this study is that electrolytically generated copper and silver ions used in conjunction with lower levels of chlorine can provide control of total-coliform and heterotrophic bacteria that is equivalent to the control provided by chlorine at high levels.
CONTAINS REFERENCES
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Silver-Coated Ventilator Tube Prevents Pneumonia
Endotracheal tubes coated with silver may cut down on ventilator-associated pneumonia in the intensive care unit
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Medical Uses of Silver on Wikipedia
The silver ion is bioactive and in sufficient concentration readily kills bacteria in vitro. Silver exhibits low toxicity in the human body. Silver and most silver compounds are toxic for bacteria, algae, and fungi in vitro. The effectiveness of silver compounds as an antiseptic is based on the ability of the biologically active silver ion to irreversibly damage key enzyme systems in the cell membranes of pathogens. The antibacterial action of silver has long been known to be enhanced by the presence of an electric field. Applying an electric current across silver electrodes enhances antibiotic action at the anode, likely due to the release of silver into the bacterial culture. Silver compounds have many medical applications including antibacterial creams, wound dressings, linings for endotracheal tubes and urinary catheters, eyedrops, water purification, bone prostheses, and reconstructive orthopedic surgery.
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Worth More Than its Weight in Silver for Burns
Silver's antibiotic properties have made the precious metal a popular treatment for wounds and burns. It helps skin to heal by staving off infections.
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An Investigation into the Potential of Ionic Silver as a Wood Preservative
Silver has been shown to have potential as a viable, safe, and cost-effective preservative. The Forest Products Laboratory has initiated a feasibility study of ionic silver salts for inhibition of brown-rot fungi, termite damage, and mold contamination.
SCIENTIFIC STUDY
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Nano Silver: Patented Biocide
Chemists from the Nanoco company in [Poland] have developed a new biocide called Nano Silver that combines the bactericidal properties of silver with the vast opportunities offered by nanotechnology. Tests...have proved that nanosilver kills bacteria immediately. Spraying it on the walls and floors in the rooms where patients stayed, as well in the bathrooms, kept the surfaces free from pathogenic microorganisms for as long as 14 days.
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Potential Use of Silver Nanoparticles on Pathogenic Bacteria, Their Toxicity and Possible Mechanisms of Action
The antimicrobial properties of silver have been known for thousands of years. Recently, silver nanoparticles have gained attention because of the possibility of their use for medical and hygiene purposes. The antibacterial activity was particle size dependent. Small particles exhibited higher antimicrobial activity than big particles.
SCIENTIFIC STUDY
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Antifungal Effect of Silver Nanoparticles on Dermatophytes (pdf file)
Many studies have shown the antimicrobial effects of nano- Ag , but the effects of nano-Ag against fungal pathogens of the skin including clinical isolates of T. mentagrophytes and Candida species are mostly unknown. The primary significance of this study is the observation that nano-Ag could inhibit the growth of dermatophytes, which cause superficial fungal infections.
SCIENTIFIC STUDY
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Silver Bullet for Cancer: Metal Can Kill Some Tumors Better Than Chemotherapy With Fewer Side Effects
Researchers conducted lab tests which exposed breast and colon cancer cells to various silver-based chemicals. Results showed that these silver-compounds were 'as effective as Cisplatin' at killing cancer with potentially fewer side effects. The metal already has a wide range of medicinal uses and is a common antiseptic, antibiotic and means of purifying water in the third world.
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Silver Makes Antibiotics Thousands of Times More Effective
The antimicrobial treatment could help to solve modern bacterial resistance. Like werewolves and vampires, bacteria have a weakness: silver. The precious metal has been used to fight infection for thousands of years — Hippocrates first described its antimicrobial properties in 400 bc — but how it works has been a mystery.
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