Silver nanoparticles as a potential treatment against SARS‐CoV‐2: A review

Abstract

Several human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are distinguished by the ability to generate epidemics or pandemics, with their corresponding diseases characterized by severe respiratory illness, such as that which occurs in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS‐CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS‐CoV), and, today, in SARS‐CoV‐2, an outbreak that has struck explosively and uncontrollably beginning in December 2019 and has claimed the lives of more than 1.9 M people worldwide as of January 2021. The development of vaccines has taken one year, which is why it is necessary to investigate whether some already‐existing alternatives that have been successfully developed in recent years can mitigate the pandemic's advance. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have proved effective in antiviral action. Thus, in this review, several in vitro and in vivo studies of the effect of AgNPs on viruses that cause respiratory diseases are analyzed and discussed to promote an understanding of the possible interaction of AgNPs with SARS‐CoV‐2. The study focuses on several in vivo toxicological studies of AgNPs and a dose extrapolation to humans to determine the chief avenue of exposure. It can be concluded that the use of AgNPs as a possible treatment for SARS‐CoV‐2 could be viable, based on comparing the virus' behavior to that of similar viruses in in vivo studies, and that the suggested route of administration in terms of least degree of adverse effects is inhalation. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Respiratory Disease Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Toxicology of Nanomaterials

Silver Nanoparticles Biosynthesis, Characterization, Antimicrobial Activities, Applications, Cytotoxicity and Safety Issues: An Updated Review

“…In the immediate future, we expect that the use of AgNPs in human health will increase significantly because of their utility, principally in relation to pandemic control. The lethal outcomes of AgNPs in organisms depends on several factors, such as the route of exposure (penetration, concentration and duration), factors associated with vulnerable organisms and factors associated with AgNPs’ intrinsic toxicity, bioavailability and accumulation in organisms [ 253 ]. Three possible methods of consuming AgNPs are: inhalation, parenteral/dermal and oral.…”

Functionalized Masks: Powerful Materials against COVID‐19 and Future Pandemics

“…[ 102 , 103 ] There are a number of reports regarding the fabrication of antimicrobial fabrics by embedding such metals into the fabrics structures, such as Ag nanoparticles (NPs) [ 104 ] and Ag nanowires (NWs) [ 105 ] coated onto cotton fabrics, CuO‐impregnated woven and nonwoven fabrics [ 106 ] and Ag/ZnO‐embedded cotton/polyester blend fabrics. [ 107 ] Especially, there are new reports about the efficiency of metal nanoparticles for inactivating SARS‐CoV‐2 such as Ag NPs, [ 108 ] copper, [ 109 , 110 ] and zinc ions. [ 111 ] Accordingly, these metals in various forms have been embedded in the structures of respiratory face masks to endow the masks with boosted antimicrobial/antiviral activity.…”

Current Knowledge of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles in Laboratory Research—Application, Toxicity, Cellular Uptake

“…AgNPs have also shown antibacterial (against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Citri ), fungicidal (against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis ), and antiviral properties, also affecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus [ 35 , 36 , 37 ]. In addition, the AgNPs toxic effect, in the range of 50% of lethal concentration (LC 50) on certain young and adult fish species (zebrafish), daphnia, and at least two algae species, has been described [ 38 , 39 ].…”