Antiviral properties

Xiang and colleagues noted that while silver nanoparticles have demonstrated effective inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), their effects against H1N1 influenza A virus remain unexplored. The researchers investigated the interaction of 10nm silver nanoparticles with H1N1 influenza A virus to determine their inhibitory activity on the virus. Their study demonstrated that nanoparticle silver has anti-H1N1 influenza A virus activity and could be a novel clinical strategy for the prevention of influenza virus infection during its early dissemination stage.

Elechiguerra and colleagues have demonstrated that silver nanoparticles undergo size-dependent interaction with HIV-1, with nanoparticles in the range of 1–10 nm attaching to the virus. Through this interaction, silver nanoparticles have been demonstrated, in vitro, to inhibit the virus from binding to host cells.

Xiang DX, Chen Q, Pang L, Zheng CL. Inhibitory effects of silver nanoparticles on H1N1 influenza A virus in vitro. J Virol Methods. 2011 Dec;178(1-2):137-42.

Elechiguerra, J.L.; Burt, J.L.; Morones, J.R.; Camacho-Bragado, A.; Gao, X.; Lara, H.H.; Yacaman, M.J. Interaction of silver nanoparticles with HIV-1. J. Nanobiotechnol 2005, 3, 6.