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Nanosilver Aids Treatment

Nanosilver Aids Treatment of ‘Diabetic Foot’

Silver Nanoparticles

Without Treatment, this Limb Complication Can Lead to Amputation

‘Diabetic foot’ is a common condition among those who suffer from the disease. More than being simply a chronic condition, diabetic foot — caused by infections, foot ulcers, deep tissue damage, nerve damage, and vascular lesions — leads to one person with diabetes in the world having their foot amputated every 20 seconds, according to studies including those from the Chinese Medical Association, Diabetes Branch.

In addition, nearly 15 percent of diabetes patients are at risk of developing foot ulcers as their disease progresses, and this complication accounts for nearly one third of all medical costs related to the disease.

Although nanosilver dressings have been found to improve many outcomes of body wounds and infections, studies have shown that it is particularly beneficial in the treatment of diabetic foot.

In a recent peer-reviewed study titled Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, the authors noted: “Nano-silver dressings are a novel form of longspectrum, safe, antibacterial dressing… In addition to protecting the wound, facilitating better drainage, and improving safe broad-spectrum anti-infection role, related studies show that its application in the treatment of diabetic foot holds significant advantages; several comparative experiments with different dressings have shown that nanosilver dressings effectively improve the cure rate, the safety of diabetic foot patients, and alleviates pain to a certain level.”

The main way in which nanosilver aids wound healing is that it breaks down the structure of bacteria cells, in effect causing their destruction, but there are other ways in which nanosilver, which breaks down to silver ions, the true destroyer of bacterial cells, helps to heal diabetic foot, the study’s authors suggest. Silver ions also inhibit the growth of new bacteria cells by blocking DNA replication. Silver also promotes the growth of epithelial cells (in essence, ‘new skin cells’) that not only allow the wound to heal more quickly but reduce the likelihood of scarring.

“Considering the increasing number of diabetes patients in China, nanosilver dressings should be promoted and developed,” the authors concluded. “… Appropriate utilization and development of nanosilver materials combined with continued research can improve the performance of nanosilver in terms of its physical, chemical, and biological aspects, thereby providing better medical conditions to the majority of diabetic foot patients.”

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