title: Nanoscalic silver possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities and exhibits fewer toxicological side effects than silver sulfadiazine.
abstract: Silver has been used successfully for decades as an antibacterial agent and has become a standard treatment for burns and bacterial skin infections. Silver-containing creams, particularly silver sulfadiazine (SSD), possess effective activities against bacteria and fungi. However, there is serious concern that silver ions applied to denuded skin might be absorbed in significant amounts, thus introducing the risk of silver deposition, potentially leading to internal organ injury. In view of these facts we compared the percutaneous absorption and the antimicrobial potency of SSD with a new composition, nanoscalic silver (NSAg). In a murine model topical application of NSAg resulted in significantly lower percutaneous absorption and internal organ deposition compared to SSD. Strikingly, antimicrobial activity of NSAg used as a 0.1% formulation was comparable not only with 0.1% SSD against different bacterial strains including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, but also against different yeast and dermatophyte species.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nanoscale silver (NSAg) was demonstrated to have significantly lower percutaneous absorption and less accumulation in multiple organs when applied to denuded skin. Its antimicrobial activity against MRSA was not only comparable to silver sulfadiazine, but the formulation was also effective against different yeast and dermatophyte species.
authors.affiliation: Division of Immunology, Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Lwo.brandt@gmx.de
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mildner
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Egger
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Groessl
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rix
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Posch
authors.forename: Bernhard K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Keppler
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strupp
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stingl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D003883:Arthrodermataceae / Q000254:growth & development; D002056:Burns / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D003881:Dermatomycoses / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D012834:Silver / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D013207:Staphylococcal Skin Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D012834:Silver; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine