Anti-Leishmanial Effect of Silver Nanoparticles and their Enhanced Anti-Parastic Activity Under UV Light
According to this clinical study, published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine in November 2011, researchers found for the first time that silver nanoparticles are effective against the Leishmaniasis pathogen — a protozoan parasite that causes Leishmaniasis, a disease that is potentially fatal if left untreated, and which causes ulcers of the skin, mouth and nose, plus fever, anemia and enlarged spleen and liver.
Leishmaniasis is currently endemic in 98 countries worldwide, affecting some 12 million people. The researchers demonstrated that silver nanoparticles significantly inhibited the infectivity of the Leishmaniasis pathogen, “inhibiting all biological activities of the parasite.” The study authors concluded, “Therefore, the authors consider a new approach, one that includes the application of Ag-NPs on vectors that carry infective Leishmania promastigotes, may be offered in the near future, and that this may prevent the disease from spreading… The results clearly show there is no need to apply high concentrations of Ag-NPs for inhibiting amastigotes, and this may be very promising for the treatment of leishmaniasis…Since leishmaniasis is spreading rapidly worldwide and because anti-leishmanial drugs have several disadvantages, the authors posit that treatment based on silver nanoparticles may have a very important role in overcoming leishmaniasis.”
