Silver has long been known to be a potent antimicrobial agent and its beneficial effects on wound biology have in general been overlooked until recently...
ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES:
The antimicrobial activity of silver ion is well defined. Silver ion rapidly kills microbes by blocking the cell respiration pathway. The speed of action is almost instantaneous once the silver reaches the microbe. The efficacy of microbe killing is based not only on the amount of silver ion present, but likely also the presence of other silver radicals generated by a silver releasing product.
Because of mechanism of action, microbial resistance to silver itself has not been reported. In addition, silver has repeatedly been shown to be non-toxic to human cells. Toxicity occurs from the complexes used to deliver silver such as nitrate and sulfadiazine.
Wound Healing Properties:
The anti-inflammatory effects of silver ion on a wound have been recognized for centuries. Most of the reports are purely descriptive in nature identifying the decrease in erythema and increased healing.
A number of the biochemical effects of silver on the wound have been documented over a decade ago. However, only recently with the new concepts on wound healing and healing impairment, can a mechanism of action be presented. The major focus of wound healing has been on the relationship between tissue destruction by a group of collagenase enzymes known as METALLOPROTEINASES (MMP) and tissue synthesis which is stimulated by growth factors.
Monday 8 November 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment