‘Colloidal Silver’: Recommendations to Remove This Misleading Term for Describing Nanoparticulate Silver Antimicrobial Agents
Hans Laroo1, Michael Whitehouse2★★ Corresponding author
- 1Security Research Pty Ltd, One Mile, Qld. 4305, AUSTRALIA.
- 2School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast Qld, AUSTRALIA.
CORRESPONDENCE
Michael Whitehouse
School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast Qld, AUSTRALIA.
Volume 7, Issue 2 · pp. 98–101 · PUBLISHED · DOI: 10.5530/pc.2017.2.14
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ABSTRACT
We endeavour to resolve some of the confusion surrounding the (mis) use of the term ‘colloidal silver’, particularly in a pharmaceutical context. It is proposed that, wherever possible, the term ‘colloidal silver’ be replaced by a clearer descriptor indicating a silver formulation’s composition and func- tion, particularly when used either to help treat infections and/or to stimu- late healing (as in restorative medicine). For discussion, we propose adopting some less ambiguous terms to de- scribe metallic silver formulations; this new terminology being more relat- ed to their physical properties and their end use, e.g. bioactive silver disper- sion, nano (sized)silver clusters (NSC), reactive atomic clusters, ‘quantum meta-silver’, etc. Methods for characterising medicinal silver products are also considered – these being needed to adequately certify the chemical composition and physical properties of novel pharmaco-active silver formu- lations – before submitting them for clinical evaluation.
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Laroo, H., & Whitehouse, M. (). ‘Colloidal Silver’: Recommendations to Remove This Misleading Term for Describing Nanoparticulate Silver Antimicrobial Agents. Pharmacognosy Communications, 7(2), 98–101. https://doi.org/10.5530/pc.2017.2.14