SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF COLLOIDAL SILVER ON THE FUNCTION OF HUMAN BLOOD NEUTROPHILS IN VIVO

Short-term effects of colloidal silver taken orally (150 μg once a day for 3 days) on the function of the blood neutrophilic granulocytes have been studied in healthy volunteers (n=30). Total white blood cell (WBC) count and WBC differential count (Wright staining of the blood smears) have been analysed, as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and total lysosomal cationic proteins (LCP) level as assessed by semi-quantitative cytochemical evaluation. Total WBC and absolute neutrophil count were found to be elevated already in 2 hr after the silver intake, the values registered on the days 2 and 3 of the study being higher than those of each previous day (p<0,05). MPO activity (assessed by mean cytochemical coefficient) increases after the intake of colloidal silver. MPO values on the day 3 of the study, both before and after silver intake, are found to be higher (p<0,05) than the basal value of the day 1. Total LCP content after the silver intake does not differ (p>0,05) from basal values on each of the study days. However, the count of the neutrophils with low (1+) MPO activity or LCP content decreases (p<0,05), while the amount of those with high (3+) MPO activity or LCP content increases (p<0,05) after the intake of silver. Thus, colloidal silver, when taken orally at a small dose for a short period, can stimulate both oxygen-dependent and oxygen-independent microbicidal mechanisms of blood neutrophils. This may account for systemic beneficial effects of colloidal silver in infectious diseases.

colloidal silver, neutrophils, myeloperoxidase, lysosomal cationic proteins