Colloidal silver

The first historically reliable mention of the use of silver in the prevention of infectious diseases dates back to the 5th century. BC e. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus (circa 484-425 BC) wrote about the use of the Persian king Cyrus II the Great Water in silver vessels, the water was kept suitable for drinking under traveling conditions for a long time ^[3] . In the historical chronicles also got information about the epidemic of gastrointestinal diseases, covering 326 days. e. during a campaign in India, the troops of Alexander of Macedon. Ill, mostly ordinary soldiers who drank water from tin dishes. The commanders drank from silver bowls and goblets and remained healthy. This is not about treating already sick people, but only about the antiseptic properties of silver.

Silver bowls and vessels for storing and transporting water were found in royal tombs dated to the 4th millennium BC. e. This is not a tribute to its medicinal properties, silver was (and is) a symbol of wealth and luxury, and, unlike gold, it is more accessible for utensils that do not break, do not rust, do not turn green and shine brightly.

The use of silver nitrate (lapis infernalis, hell stone) in medicine as an antiseptic and cauterizing drug has been known for several centuries. In the XVII century. Alchemists, the Dutchman Jan Baptista van Helmont (1579–1644) and the German Francis de la Beau Silvius (1614–1672) dissolved silver in nitric acid and isolated crystalline silver nitrate ^[4] . Serious drawbacks of the use of silver nitrate for therapeutic purposes have always been its high chemical activity (capable of causing chemical burns of the mucous membranes and skin) and the ability to systemically absorb when applied topically, which, if used for a long time, can lead to the deposition of silver (in the form of sulfide and selenide ) in the surface layers of the skin ( argyria ). In the XIX century. After Joseph Lister introduced the surgical practice of antiseptic treatment of wounds, silver nitrate was also used for these purposes, especially for the treatment of infected mucous membranes. In 1881, the outstanding German obstetrician-gynecologist Carl Crede (Carl Siegmund Franz Credé 1819-1892) described a method of using eye drops based on a 1-2% aqueous solution of silver nitrate for the prevention of newborn blenorrhea ^[5] . This simple manipulation (Credé-Prophylaxe) has long been an essential element in the prevention of blennorrhea, which made it possible to save from the so-called. congenital blindness of thousands of children throughout Europe ^[6] . The irritating effect of soluble silver salts on mucous membranes led at the end of the 19th century. the need to create sparingly soluble colloidal forms of silver and its salts, as well as complex silver compounds, which, along with antiseptic and wound healing effects, would not have cytotoxicity for mammalian cells, characteristic of soluble silver salts. So in 1894, Schering created the drug Argentamine, containing as its active component a complex salt of silver phosphate with diethylenediamine , which was widely used to treat gonorrhea until the era of antibiotics.

In the early 1900s, silver received regulatory approval as an antibacterial antimicrobial agent. Until 1938, colloidal silver was used as a bactericidal preparation and disinfectant . Doctors used its external remedy as drops for eye inflammation and various infections. Sometimes even internally, although there were no prerequisites for this - with diseases such as the common cold , trophic aphtha , epilepsy and gonorrhea . However, the use of silver declined with the introduction of antibiotics in the early 1940s. Several prescription drugs containing silver are still available, but their list is steadily decreasing and the number of countries explicitly prohibiting colloidal silver for internal use is growing. The reason is the lack of scientifically based results proving any benefit, and the scientifically proven health risk when taking such drugs inside. Colloidal particles, due to their small size, release a significant amount of silver ions, whose toxicity exceeds that of heavy metals. ^[7] For example, in the European Union countries the advertising and sale of such drugs is prohibited.

Silver ions are a toxic heavy metal that does not participate in the body’s metabolism, can accumulate in organs and cause argyrosis . The silver content in drinking water is regulated by SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01. “Drinking water” - silver nitrate is assigned hazard class 2, “highly hazardous substance”. The State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision officially approved hygienic standards for the content of harmful substances in drinking water; in these standards, the content of silver nitrate in drinking water is limited to a concentration of 0.05 mg / l ^[8] .

According to the World Health Organization, the ability to kill certain bacteria with certainty is observed at silver ion concentrations in excess of 150 μg / L (the maximum permissible concentration for humans is 50 μg / L). At lower concentrations, they only inhibit the growth of bacteria. After the termination of the active factor, the growth and reproduction of bacteria resume. Silver ions do not affect all bacteria. In addition, many microorganisms, for example, spore-forming bacteria, such as anthrax, protozoa and any viruses, are resistant to their effects.

The molecular and biochemical foundations of the antimicrobial activity of silver and its preparations are quite complex, debatable, not yet fully understood, and require further deeper study. In general, antimicrobial activity is due to the complexing, biochemical and catalytic effects of silver on bacterial and viral enzymes (in particular, oxygen metabolism), as well as proteins and membrane structures, which, when used internally, are primarily affected in humans.

Stephen Barrett, MD, who pays great attention to consumer protection , medical ethics , and scientific skepticism , came to the following conclusions in his work, “Colloidal Silver: Useless Risk” ^[9] :

1. Too little data on the reality of healing effects attributed to colloidal silver or their complete absence
2. The risk of toxic exposure to silver exceeds the value of an attempt to unreasonably use it, including the use of the antibacterial effect of silver.
3. The illicit distribution of colloidal silver products, which is becoming a significant public health concern, should be curbed.

Side effects of ingesting colloidal silver

With prolonged excess intake of silver in the body, a specific disease such as argyrosis - silver poisoning. It does not pose a threat to life, but a bluish-gray skin tone is unlikely to please anyone ^[10] . According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), argyrosis is caused by the accumulation of an average of 1 gram of silver in the body. A single dose of 10 gram silver nitrate (6.35 g in terms of pure silver) is estimated by the WHO as fatal. Silver nitrate is the most toxic of ionic silver preparations. Silver metal is the least toxic, and in the form of massive metal it is practically harmless. Poorly soluble silver salts (for example, chloride) are slightly toxic, but also inactive from the point of view of bactericidal activity.

Colloidal Silver Toxicity

In the official US Pharmacopoeia and National Formulary, colloidal silver is not indicated as an approved product. However, in the early 1990s, several small companies resumed production of colloidal silver, taking advantage of the fact that it fell into the “food additives” section, which did not require approval by the US Department of Food and Drug Safety (FDA). In response, the FDA published in 93-94. A few warnings to consumers indicating the names of companies that supply hazardous products. The FDA also confirmed its opinion in 1999 by issuing a circular on the toxicity of products containing silver and the falsity of statements about their safety. So it was pointed out that the disseminated information about colloidal silver as a natural antibiotic effective in cancer, AIDS , tuberculosis, and diseases of the genitourinary system are not substantiated.

Despite this, silver nitrate is one of the most toxic silver-containing preparations among Russian pharmacopeia preparations. According to the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation, the maximum single oral dose of silver nitrate for an adult is 30 mg, the maximum daily oral dose for an adult is 100 mg.

The genotoxic effect of colloidal silver

Scientists from the University of East Anglia found that water disinfection with silver can lead to DNA destruction. ^{[11] [12]} Specialists analyzed the results of numerous studies evaluating the effect of silver and its compounds dissolved in water on animals. It turned out that in most cases, the substance had a genotoxic effect, destroying the integrity of DNA molecules in cells, including causing rearrangements in the chromosomes and fragmentation of the latter. In addition, the researchers identified gene damage in sperm cells. ^{[11] [12]} Swedish toxicologist Hannah Carlson examined the effects of “silver water” on lung tissue and found that it destroys DNA molecules. The ingress of colloidal particles into the lungs causes inflammation. Long-term exposure, such as the appearance of cancer, in vitro is not possible, but it is proven that immunity is reduced. ^[13]

Since 1990, in alternative medicine, there has been a resurgence in the use of colloidal silver as a means to treat numerous diseases. In the laboratory, studies give very conflicting results; the results of some studies show that its antimicrobial effect is very slight, while others have shown that a solution of 5-30ppm is effective against staphylococcus and E. coli. This contradiction is associated with the size of colloidal silver particles - the smaller their size, the more pronounced the antimicrobial effect ^[14] .

In the USA and Australia, colloidal silver preparations are not recognized as drugs and are available at grocery stores. They can also be found in abundance in online stores around the world as dietary supplements ( Dietary Supplements ). US and Australian laws prohibit marketers from attributing medical efficacy to colloidal silver. But some sites, including on their territory, still indicate the beneficial effect of the drug in the prevention of colds and flu, as well as the therapeutic effect in more serious diseases such as diabetes, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis , and other diseases. There is no medical evidence that colloidal silver is effective for any of these stated conditions.

In Russia, in particular, in the Scientific Center of Novosibirsk (Akademgorodok, Naukograd Koltsovo), since 2000, the study of cluster silver has been actively developing. Preparations based on it are already being produced in various industries: veterinary medicine, cosmetics, parapharmaceuticals.

• Silver proteinate
• Drinking gold

• Colloidal Silver Products (neopr.) . Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine . Archived February 12, 2012.
• About Herbs: Colloidal Silver (Neopr.) . Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center . Archived February 12, 2012.

• Blagitko E. M., Burmistrov V. A., Kolesnikov A. P., Mikhailov Yu. I., Rodionov P. P. - Silver in medicine. - Novosibirsk, Science Center, 2004, 254s.
• Kostyleva R. N., Burmistrov V. A. - Comparative study of the bactericidal activity of colloidal silver preparations / Silver and bismuth in medicine. - Materials of the scientific-practical conference, February 25-26, 2005, Novosibirsk, p. 53 - 60.
• Roshchin A.V., Ordzhonikidze E.K. Silver - Some Aspects of Toxokinetics // Occupational Health and Occupational Diseases. 1984, No. 10, p. 25-28.
• Odegova G.V., Burmistrov V.A., Rodionov P.P. - Investigation of the state of silver in silver-containing antibacterial drugs argovit and argogel. / "The use of silver drugs in medicine." - Sat Proceedings of the scientific-practical conference "New chemical systems and processes in medicine", ed. E. M. Blagitko, Novosibirsk, 2004, p. 58 - 63.