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October 19, 2005
Nanosilver Bullet Kills HIV, Other Viruses
The first of many technological miracles?
In a groundbreaking study, the Journal of Nanotechnology has published a study that found silver nanoparticles kills HIV-1 and is likely to kill virtually any other virus. The study, which was conducted by the University of Texas and Mexico University, is the first medical study to ever explore the benefits of silver nanoparticles, according to Physorg.
During the study, researchers used three different methods of limiting the size of the silver nanoparticles by using capping agents. The capping agents were foamy carbon, poly (PVP), and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The particles ranged in size from 1 to 10 nanometers depending on the method of capping. After incubating the HIV-1 virus at 37 C, the silver particles killed 100% of the virus within 3 hours for all three methods. The scientists believe that the silver particles bonded through glycoprotein knobs on the virus with spacing of about 22 nanometers in length.
While further research is needed, researchers are optimistic that nanological silver may be the silver bullet to kill viruses. The researchers in the study said that they had already begin experiments using silver nanoparticles to kill what is known as the super bug (Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). Already used as a topical antibiotic in the medical industry, silver may now come under consideration as an alternative to drugs when it comes to fighting previously untreatable viruses such as the Tamiflu resistant avian flu.
More info, from Physorg.com:
In the first-ever study of metal nanoparticles' interaction with HIV-1, silver nanoparticles of sizes 1-10nm attached to HIV-1 and prevented the virus from bonding to host cells. The study, published in the Journal of Nanotechnology, was a joint project between the University of Texas, Austin and Mexico Univeristy, Nuevo Leon.
"Our article opens an important avenue for research," said Miguel Jose Yacaman, from University of Texas, Department of Engineering and one of the study's authors.
In this study, scientists mixed silver nanoparticles with three different capping agents: foamy carbon, poly (PVP), and bovine serum albumin (BSA)."Not using a capping agent could result in the synthesis of big crystals instead of nanocrystals," explained Yacaman.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the silver nanoparticles in the foamy carbon matrix were joined together, but an ultrasonic bath in deionized water released a significant number of nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were of size 16.19 (+-8.69)nm and had the greatest variety of shapes, such as icosahedral, decahedral, and elongated.
"Because of the synthesis procedure, the foamy carbon-coated naoparticles are more likely to have broad shape distribution," said Yacaman. Scientists used the electron beam to release the remainder of the nanoparticles from the joined bundle.
For the PVP-coated silver nanoparticles, scientists used glycerine as a dissolving agent. These particles were of size 6.53 (+-2.41). In the third preparation, scientists used serum albumin, the most common protein in blood plasma. The sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen chemicals in BSA stabilized the nanoparticles, which were in the range of 3.12 (+-2.00) nm.
Scientists studied the absorption spectra of the different preparations to pinpoint their shapes. "Spherical nanoparticles absorbed in the blue region of the spectrum, for example," Yacaman said.
Also, the UV-Visible spectra graphs helped the group determine nanoparticle sizes. "The surface plasmon resonance peak wavelength increased with size," explained Yacaman.
Scientists tested, in vitro, each of three silver nanoparticle-preparations in HIV-1 cells. Yacaman and his colleagues incubated the samples at 37 C. After three hours and 24 hours, respectively, 0% of the cells were living.
The results showed that a silver nanoparticle concentration greater than 25 ug/mL worked more effectively at inhibiting HIV-1 cells. Plus, the foamy carbon was a slightly-better capping agent because of its free surface area. Size also played a role since none of the attached nanoparticles were greater than 10nm.
Scientists think the nanoparticles bonded through the gp120 glycoprotein knobs on HIV-1, using the sulfur residues on the knobs. The spacing between the knobs of ~22nm matched the center-to-center nanoparticle spacing.
Although this study shows silver nanoparticles may treat HIV-1, scientists need to research this relationship further. "We lack information regarding the long-term effects of metal nanoparticles," cautioned Yacaman. Scientists are forming a preventive cream for HIV-1, which they will test on humans.
Scientists are also studying other uses for silver nanoparticles. "We're testing against other viruses and the 'super bug (Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus).' Our preliminary results indicate that silver nanoparticles can effectively attack other micro-organisms," Yacaman said.
Syeda Z. Hamdani; Copyright 2005 PhysOrg.com
http://www.physorg.com/news7264.html
So maybe the colloidal silver craze was onto something. I wonder if it only kills the bad viruses, such that you can rinse your body with silver and be fresh from all malignant viruses, and perhaps other bad things. I also wonder if/how different polyhedral shapes have different purposes in the genetic continuum. This sounds pretty enlightening, kind of on a subtle, rising dawn and end to disease kind of level.
Posted by: liquis at October 20, 2005 12:03 AMVery well-said, Liquis! We can only hope that researh on this front continues, and that this therapy becomes widely-available a.s.a.p. (more, perhaps, later...)
Posted by: MCP2012 at October 21, 2005 11:06 AMVery exciting! Anyone who keeps up with the almost daily breakthroughs in science and medicine would not be surprised by this article.
In spite of dramatic progress in the laboratory, most of the new generation of medical advances have not hit the street yet.
An exception is Herceptin, a breast cancer drug that works through genetic targeting. Herceptin appears to be the most promising drug against a certain type of breast cancer, and it doesn't cause loss of hair and other wasting effects of old fashioned chemotherapy. It has recently been shown to reduce the recurrance of this type of breast cancer by 50%.
The tendency toward people lately to be so apocalyptic, promoting ideas like 2012 or the singularity, seems diametrically opposed to the reality that science is at the brink of ending human disease, and as well as solving many other major issues like energy production.
Could it really be that we stand on the brink of this kind of positive future? I personally think it's almost inevitable.
Posted by: dlight at October 24, 2005 11:45 PMThere is so much happening on so many fronts...Aubrey de Grey is explicitly advocating an Apollo-like crash-program to conquer all aging and disease...we'll see all this come to fruition...heads-up and stay-tuned...
Posted by: MCP2012 at October 25, 2005 05:58 PMI'm assuming there is at least SOME reason to expect that the silver nanoparticles + capping agents will be safe to use inside a human body? Otherwise the excitement here seems a bit premature.
Posted by: Brian at October 31, 2005 11:21 AMEven if nano's prove to be toxic to the human body, perhaps we can send them in to kill hiv and other virus within three hours and then somehow rid the body of the nano's??? maybe....
Posted by: Dan at November 2, 2005 04:36 PMwell this is similar to colloidal silver, which doesnt seem to have any negative effects, except for turning your skin silver if the particles are too big, by getting lodged in the skin. colloidal silver however doesnt have a capping agent, so silver is free to combine and recombine to each other to form larger particles, apparently varying from 1-1000 nm wide, whereas these nanosilver particles are consistently specifc sizes under 10 nm.
I'm wondering if one might need to drink like a gallon of this a day for a week to make sure all the virii have come into contact with the nanoparticles?
how fast can the nanoparticles be made, I had read that they take a long time to produce large amounts, is that true, and would it be impossible to create a facility to create enough 'antidote' for everyone on the planet?
Posted by: blarb at November 8, 2005 10:23 PMBlarb -- It all depends on how far along places like Foresight, et al, are allowed to proceed. The Bush admin is fearful of the imagined 'evils' of nanotech and cut most of its federal funding a long time ago. [In case anyone is wondering, the Clinton admin was very lavish in their funding, and nanotech wouldve continued to be well-funded in a now long-lost Gore admin.] A true molecular assembler will answer most of our questions. But thanks to the bass-ackward thinking of the current "compassionate" administration, such progressive and forward-thinking advancements are currently on the federal back-burner. :(
Let's get Obama interested in it now, so that when he sits in that Oval Office, we will see the glad headlines announcing the 1st successful molecular assembler .... it could happen!
Hey I was wondering if anybody knows where to get more information on this, I read an article that said that all tests using silver to treat viruses were false. Which article is right, the other article was dated oct.2005 so who I'd like to see if this recent study had an official publication or if i can contact the schools
Posted by: blarb at November 10, 2005 09:11 AMThe official publication mentioned in the post was from the week of Oct 19, 2005, in the Journal of Nanotechnology.
I'd be curious to know the source of the "article that said that all tests using silver to treat viruses were false."
My apologies, but I do not have a link for the Journal of Nanotech. at the moment.
Theyre probably referring to claims that colloidal silver has antiviral properties (which it probably does, but very few particles are probably of the optimum size).
Posted by: liquis at November 14, 2005 05:14 PM