Treatment of infection and inflammation associated with COVID-19, multi-drug resistant pneumonia and fungal sinusitis by nebulizing a nanosilver solution

Patricia L Nadworny; William L Hickerson; Holly Denise Holley-Harrison; David C Bloom; Tristan R Grams; Terri G Edwards; Gregory S Schultz; Robert E Burrell

doi:10.1016/j.nano.2023.102654

Treatment of infection and inflammation associated with COVID-19, multi-drug resistant pneumonia and fungal sinusitis by nebulizing a nanosilver solution

Nanomedicine. 2023 Feb:48:102654. doi: 10.1016/j.nano.2023.102654. Epub 2023 Jan 14.

Authors

Patricia L Nadworny¹, William L Hickerson², Holly Denise Holley-Harrison³, David C Bloom⁴, Tristan R Grams⁵, Terri G Edwards⁶, Gregory S Schultz⁷, Robert E Burrell⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1101 Research Transition Facility, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2V2, Canada; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, 9211 116 St. NW, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada. Electronic address: pnadworny@ualberta.ca.
² Department of Plastic Surgery, 910 Madison Avenue, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA. Electronic address: bhickerson@me.com.
³ HNI Healthcare, Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital, 5151 N 9th Avenue, Pensacola, FL 32504, USA. Electronic address: hdeniseharrison@gmail.com.
⁴ Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, 1200 Newell Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: dbloom@ufl.edu.
⁵ Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, 1200 Newell Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: tgrams@ufl.edu.
⁶ Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, 1200 Newell Drive, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: tgedwards@ufl.edu.
⁷ Institute for Wound Research, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: schultzg@ufl.edu.
⁸ Department of Biomedical Engineering, 1101 Research Transition Facility, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2V2, Canada; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, 9211 116 St. NW, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada. Electronic address: rburrell@ualberta.ca.

Abstract

Solutions containing Ag⁰ nanoclusters, Ag⁺¹, and higher oxidation state silver, generated from nanocrystalline silver dressings, were anti-inflammatory against porcine skin inflammation. The dressings have clinically-demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, suggesting application of nanosilver solutions in treating pulmonary infection. Nanosilver solutions were tested for antimicrobial efficacy; against HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2; and nebulized in rats with acute pneumonia. Patients with pneumonia (ventilated), fungal sinusitis, burns plus COVID-19, and two non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 received nebulized nanosilver solution. Nanosilver solutions demonstrated pH-dependent antimicrobial efficacy; reduced infection and inflammation without evidence of lung toxicity in the rat model; and inactivated HSV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Pneumonia patients had rapidly reduced pulmonary symptoms, recovering pre-illness respiratory function. Fungal sinusitis-related inflammation decreased immediately with infection clearance within 21 days. Non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 experienced rapid symptom remission. Nanosilver solutions, due to anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial activity, may be effective for treating respiratory inflammation and infections caused by viruses and/or microbes.

Keywords: Anti-inflammatory; Antimicrobial; Antiviral; Nanocrystalline silver; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
COVID-19* / complications
Inflammation / drug therapy
Pneumonia* / drug therapy
Rats
SARS-CoV-2
Silver / therapeutic use
Sinusitis* / complications
Sinusitis* / drug therapy
Swine

Substances

colloidal silver
Silver
Anti-Inflammatory Agents

Grants and funding

T32 AI007110/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States