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Colloidal silver is a liquid suspension of microscopic particles of silver. A colloid is technically defined as particles which remain suspended without forming an ionic, or dissolved solution. The broader commercial definition of "colloidal silver" includes products that contain various concentrations of ionic silver, silver colloids, ionic silver compounds or silver proteins in purified water. Colloidal silver with concentrations of 30 parts per million (ppm) or less are typically manufactured using an electrolysis process, whereas colloidal silver with higher concentrations of 50 ppm or more are usually either silver compounds such as silver chloride and silver iodide or are solutions that have been bound with a protein to disperse the particles.

History and Applications

Prior to 1938, colloidal silver was widely promoted as a "cure-all", and silver products were used by physicians as topical antibiotics.[1] However, with the development more effective, less expensive antibiotics such as penicillin and sulfanilamide, medical use of colloidal silver ceased. From approximately 1990, there has been a resurgence of the promotion of colloidal silver as an alternative medicine treatment with claims that it can prevent or treat numerous diseases.[2]

Colloidal silver products are marketed over the Internet as a dietary supplement for the treatment of diabetes, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, among other diseases.[1] There is no medical evidence that colloidal silver is effective for any of these claimed indications.[1]

Method of Action

Colloidal silver is reported to kill bacteria via the oligodynamic effect by inhibiting the expression of enzymes and other proteins essential to ATP production. [3]

Toxicities

Argyria

Main article: Argyria

Long-term intake of silver products may result in a condition known as argyria, one symptom of which is a blue or gray discoloration of the skin.[4] It occurs when sunlight interacts with silver deposited in the skin, in the same way that silver particles in photographic film darken when exposed to sunlight. It can occur both via ingestion of silver, or through topical application of silver to the skin.[citation needed] While generally considered permanent,[5] some have claimed to have reversed it.[6] The death of a 71 year old man was reported following four months use of oral colloidal silver.[7]

Many scientific articles report cases of argyria after ingestion of colloidal silver.[8][9][10][11][12][13]

Government reactions

In August 1999 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a ruling banning colloidal silver sellers from claiming any therapeutic value for the product. Unless a drug has undergone the rigorous safety and efficacy testing required of pharmaceuticals no medical benefits can be claimed. Such testing has not been conducted with colloidal silver, so the product now has the status of a dietary supplement in the US (dietary supplements cannot claim to cure diseases, only that they "support healthy functioning").[14] The FDA has issued warnings to Internet sites selling or promoting colloidal silver as an antibiotic or for other medical purposes.[15] If no medical benefits are claimed, colloidal silver is sold as a supplement, and as long as the products comply with all other FDA regulations, its sale is considered legal.[16] In 2002, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration ruled that colloidal silver-containing products were no longer exempted from therapeutic goods legislation and had to meet the requirements of other products covered by this law. A TGA investigation found that "there are no current legitimate uses of colloidal silver and that the Surveillance Section of the TGA be requested to investigate the illegal availability of colloidal silver products because of concerns about their significant toxicity. The reasons for the recommendation were that:

"There is little evidence to support therapeutic claims made for colloidal silver products; the risk to consumers of silver toxicity outweighs the value of trying an unsubstantiated treatment, and bacterial resistance to silver can occur; and efforts should be made to curb the illegal availability of colloidal silver products, which is a significant public health issue." .[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Newman M, Kolecki P (2001). "Argyria in the ED". Am J Emerg Med. 19 (6): 525–6. doi:10.1053/ajem.2001.25773. PMID 11593479. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Fung MC, Bowen DL (1996). "Silver products for medical indications: risk-benefit assessment". J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol. 34 (1): 119–26. PMID 8632503.
  3. ^ http://aem.asm.org/cgi/reprint/71/11/7589.pdf
  4. ^ Skin dicoloration following the administration of colloidal silver in cystic fibrosis PMID 18025945
  5. ^ Believe it or not- silver still poisons PMID 18025945
  6. ^ Argyria-Reversal Claim
  7. ^ Myoclonic status epilepticus following repeated oral ingestion of colloidal silver PMID 15111684
  8. ^ Kalouche H, Watson A, Routley D , Blue lunulae: argyria and hypercopprecaemia , Australas J Dermatol. 2007 Aug;48(3):182-4
  9. ^ Baker CD, Federico MJ, Accurso FJ, Case report: skin discoloration following administration of colloidal silver in cystic fibrosis, Curr Opin Pediatr. 2007 Dec;19(6):733-735 PMID 18025945
  10. ^ Chang AL, Khosravi V, Egbert B, A case of argyria after colloidal silver ingestion, J Cutan Pathol. 2006 Dec;33(12):809-11 PMID 17177941
  11. ^ Wadhera A, Fung M, Systemic argyria associated with ingestion of colloidal silver, Dermatol Online J. 2005 Mar 1;11(1):12 online: [1]
  12. ^ Brandt D, Park B, Hoang M, Jacobe HT., Argyria secondary to ingestion of homemade silver solution, J Am Acad Dermatol. 2005 Aug;53(2 Suppl 1):S105-7
  13. ^ McKenna JK, Hull CM, Zone JJ, Argyria associated with colloidal silver supplementation, Int J Dermatol. 2003 Jul;42(7):549
  14. ^ COLLOIDAL SILVER NOT APPROVED FDA reports "Use of colloidal silver ingredients in food-producing animals constitutes a potentially serious public health concern", Wednesday, February 12, 1997
  15. ^ FDA warning healthymagnets
  16. ^ FDA ISSUES FINAL RULE ON OTC DRUG PRODUCTS CONTAINING COLLOIDAL SILVER FDA, 1999-08-17
  17. ^ TGA. Regulation of colloidal silver and related products Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2005 [2] revoked Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2004. 9 November 2005 update

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colloidal_silver&oldid=240302811