Colloidal Silver: A Novel Treatment for Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms
In this study, published in the journal International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology in March 2014, the study authors begin by explaining that a patient with a “previously recalcitrant Staphylococcus aureus-infected chronic rhinosinusitis” began using a colloidal silver product as a nasal spray, and experienced marked improvement.
The study authors then decided to test “whether colloidal silver has any direct bactericidal effects on these biofilms in vitro.” In other words, they wanted to see for themselves if colloidal silver killed Staphylococcus aureus under strict laboratory conditions. The researchers used various dilutions of colloidal silver. What they discovered was that except for the very lowest dilution used, the colloidal silver dramatically reduced the S. aureus biomasses. “At 20 uL colloidal silver, the reduction in biomass was 98.9%…a maximum biomass reduction of 99.8% was reached at both 100 and 150 uL colloidal silver. The study authors concluded, “Colloidal silver directly attenuates in vitro S. aureus biofilms.”