Silver
Silver (Ag, atomic number 47) is a precious transition metal with a rich history of antimicrobial and therapeutic applications in medicine.
Silver (Ag, atomic number 47) is a precious transition metal with a rich history of antimicrobial and therapeutic applications in medicine. Beyond its traditional use in wound dressings and surface coatings, silver has emerged as a critical component in modern nanomedicine, particularly in the form of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). These nanoparticles exhibit enhanced bioactivity compared to bulk silver, owing to their high surface area-to-volume ratio and quantum-size effects. Contemporary research has focused on exploiting silver's antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties through rational nanoparticle synthesis and strategic conjugation with bioactive compounds. The versatility of silver in therapeutic nanotechnology has positioned it as a key platform for developing multifunctional nanomedicines targeting infectious diseases, inflammatory conditions, and malignant tumors.
Where the papers sit
14 papers from the last 6 months study silver directly · updated from PubMed 8 Oct 2026
Study type 1 clinical trial · 3 human data · 10 preclinical
Themes one subject · 1 new direction
Those 14 are all about one subject.
-
Multifunctional Nanoparticle Applications
Silver nanoparticles are being developed for diverse biomedical, environmental and materials applications rather than one defined clinical use. Green synthesis using plant and fungal extracts recurs, alongside characterization of antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. Biomedical work targets wound healing, endometritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, sperm quality and vascular transport. Other studies emphasize self-cleaning fabrics, Ag+ sensing and computational prediction of nanoparticle effects, leaving efficacy, safety and dose optimization open.
Silver is used as a target analyte in a reversible biological fluorescence sensor rather than as a nanoparticle-based therapeutic or functional agent
The nitrogen-doped carbon-quantum-dot sensor for Ag⁺ and L-cysteine uses silver ions as the species being detected: Ag⁺ quenches fluorescence through ground-state complex formation, and L-cysteine restores it by competing for Ag⁺. This assigns silver an analytical target role outside the nanoparticle-based antimicrobial, therapeutic, wound-healing, preservation, catalytic, textile, and delivery applications represented by the other papers, enabling sequential measurement of Ag⁺ and L-cysteine in human serum 42549778Aug.
Papers
The 14 papers from the last 6 months that study silver directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
Multifunctional Nanoparticle Applications (14)
- Computational investigation and machine learning prediction of nanoparticle effects on hemodynamics in patient-specific aortic aneurysms. PloS one · 7 Oct 2026 PMID 42842584
- Interface-Engineered Cotton Fabrics with Emblica officinalis-Mediated Silver-Based Nanoparticles for Robust Self-Cleaning, Antibacterial, and Oil-Water Separation. Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids · 8 Sept 2026 PMID 42709111
- Phytochemical profiling-guided green synthesis and characterisation of silver nanoparticles using Catunaregam spinosa for biological applications. PloS one · 2 Sept 2026 PMID 42685096
- Synthesis and characterization of calcium oxide and silver nanoparticles and their dose- and time-dependent effects on boar sperm quality and antimicrobial efficacy. Animal reproduction science · 20 Aug 2026 PMID 42623923
- A mechanically robust and moisture-retentive hydrocolloid dressing for chronic wound management. Scientific reports · 12 Aug 2026 PMID 42586992
- Silver and Copper Nanoparticles as Non-Antibiotic Therapy for Postpartum Endometritis in Dairy Cows. Veterinary medicine and science · 5 Aug 2026 PMID 42555560
- Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots for sequential "ON-OFF-ON" fluorescence detection of Ag+ and L-cysteine in biological samples. Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications · 4 Aug 2026 PMID 42549778
- Chitosan and chitosan-silver nanoparticles as adjuncts to platelet-rich plasma in canine full-thickness cutaneous wound healing. Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine · 22 Jul 2026 PMID 42484703
- Harnessing Phoenix dactylifera L (Degla Baidha) date seed extract for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles: Assessment of antioxidant capabilities and methylene blue degradation. Biochemical and biophysical research communications · 8 Jul 2026 PMID 42419221
- Famotidine-conjugated green silver nanoparticles as a selective anticancer and antibacterial nanomedicine. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie · 26 Jun 2026 PMID 42361624
- Characterization of green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Falconeria insignis Royle and its antimicrobial activity. PloS one · 24 Jun 2026 PMID 42340945
- Silver nanoparticle-conjugated pyrimidine-based BN6 methanimine derivative improves DSS-induced inflammatory bowel disease in zebrafish. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology · 12 May 2026 PMID 42116596
- Fungal-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Porostereum spadiceum and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities. The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology · 7 May 2026 PMID 42097278
- Computational and machine learning approach for nanoparticles-enhanced bio-heat transport with coupled effects of interparticle spacing and particles radius. European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V · 2 May 2026 PMID 42069266
By study type
Clinical trials (1)
- Silver and Copper Nanoparticles as Non-Antibiotic Therapy for Postpartum Endometritis in Dairy Cows. Veterinary medicine and science · 5 Aug 2026 PMID 42555560
Human data, design not indexed (3)
- Computational investigation and machine learning prediction of nanoparticle effects on hemodynamics in patient-specific aortic aneurysms. PloS one · 7 Oct 2026 PMID 42842584
- A mechanically robust and moisture-retentive hydrocolloid dressing for chronic wound management. Scientific reports · 12 Aug 2026 PMID 42586992
- Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots for sequential "ON-OFF-ON" fluorescence detection of Ag+ and L-cysteine in biological samples. Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications · 4 Aug 2026 PMID 42549778
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (10)
- Interface-Engineered Cotton Fabrics with Emblica officinalis-Mediated Silver-Based Nanoparticles for Robust Self-Cleaning, Antibacterial, and Oil-Water Separation. Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids · 8 Sept 2026 PMID 42709111
- Phytochemical profiling-guided green synthesis and characterisation of silver nanoparticles using Catunaregam spinosa for biological applications. PloS one · 2 Sept 2026 PMID 42685096
- Synthesis and characterization of calcium oxide and silver nanoparticles and their dose- and time-dependent effects on boar sperm quality and antimicrobial efficacy. Animal reproduction science · 20 Aug 2026 PMID 42623923
- Chitosan and chitosan-silver nanoparticles as adjuncts to platelet-rich plasma in canine full-thickness cutaneous wound healing. Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine · 22 Jul 2026 PMID 42484703
- Harnessing Phoenix dactylifera L (Degla Baidha) date seed extract for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles: Assessment of antioxidant capabilities and methylene blue degradation. Biochemical and biophysical research communications · 8 Jul 2026 PMID 42419221
- Famotidine-conjugated green silver nanoparticles as a selective anticancer and antibacterial nanomedicine. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie · 26 Jun 2026 PMID 42361624
- Characterization of green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Falconeria insignis Royle and its antimicrobial activity. PloS one · 24 Jun 2026 PMID 42340945
- Silver nanoparticle-conjugated pyrimidine-based BN6 methanimine derivative improves DSS-induced inflammatory bowel disease in zebrafish. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology · 12 May 2026 PMID 42116596
- Fungal-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Porostereum spadiceum and their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities. The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology · 7 May 2026 PMID 42097278
- Computational and machine learning approach for nanoparticles-enhanced bio-heat transport with coupled effects of interparticle spacing and particles radius. European journal of pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics : official journal of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Pharmazeutische Verfahrenstechnik e.V · 2 May 2026 PMID 42069266
Written from 14 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-08-02. Last written: 2026-09-10 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.