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Dressings containing metallic silver (Ag0) and/or singly ionic silver (Ag1+) are widely used for their antimicrobial effects. New technology can now incorporate silver oxysalts into dressings at higher oxidative states (Ag2+ and Ag3+). This high oxidative state silver powerfully interacts with microbes and thus displays potent antimicrobial activity against planktonic bacteria and biofilms. However, data is limited on the effects of silver oxysalts on healing once infection is cleared.
Method
Here we assess the effects of silver oxysalts on healing in vitro and in a murine excisional wound model independent of infection. Human keratinocyte and fibroblast scratch wound assays were performed with and without silver oxysalts and wound closure assessed after 24 hours. In addition, dressings containing silver oxysalts were applied to 6mm murine excisional wounds (n=10) and wounds were harvested after 3 and 7 days. The effects of silver oxysalts on wound area, re-epithelialisation and inflammation (immunohistochemistry for macrophage and neutrophils) were assessed.
Results
Significantly we show that silver oxysalts promote closure of human keratinocyte scratch wounds (P<0.05 Mann-Whitney U test) and have no adverse effect on human fibroblast scratch wounds independent of their antimicrobial effects. Furthermore, silver oxysalts significantly reduced wound area and promoted re-epithelialisation of murine wounds (P=<0.05 Mann-Whitney U test). Concomitantly, a reduction in the number of macrophage and neutrophils within the wound was observed with silver oxysalt treatment (P<0.05 Mann-Whitney U test) compared to control dressings.
Conclusions
Collectively, these data indicate that silver oxysalt-containing dressings have no adverse effect on healing when infection not present or cleared. Strikingly we find that silver oxysalts actually promotes wound repair, increasing the rate of re-epithelialisation and dampening inflammation.