To overcome one of the main problems of modern medicine, the resistance of bacteria, just a little silver.

A series of experiments by Boston scientists showed that silver ions enhance the effectiveness of traditional antibiotics, overcome the resistance of bacteria and expand the spectrum of action of certain drugs.

Scientists from Boston University, headed by J. Collins, the mechanisms of interaction of silver ions with bacterial cells.

It turned out that the metal disrupts some intracellular processes and leads to the release of active forms of oxygen (radicals) and impair the permeability of membranes.

In vitro, the addition of silver to antibiotics restores the sensitivity to tetracycline of a resistant E. coli strain. In mice with infections of the urogenital tract, silver and gentamicin alone did not affect the infection, but in combination significantly reduced the number of bacteria.

According to researchers in Science Translational Medicine, the antibiotic vancomycin targeting gram-positive bacteria, in combination with silver, began to suppress Gram-negative strains that had not previously been sensitive to it.

Collins concluded: "Silver can be extremely useful as an adjunct to antibiotic therapy". He added that experiments on laboratory mice revealed that in necessary therapeutic concentrations, silver does not harm animals.

medbe. en Key words:.