| dc.description.abstract | Since antiquity, silver-based therapies have been used in wound healing, wound care and
management of infections to provide adequate healing. These therapies are associated with certain
limitations, such as toxicity, skin discolouration and bacterial resistance, which have limited their use.
As a result, new and innovative wound therapies, or strategies to improve the existing therapies, are
sought after. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have shown the potential to circumvent the limitations
associated with conventional silver-based therapies as described above. AgNPs are effective against
a broad spectrum of microorganisms and are less toxic, effective at lower concentrations and produce
no skin discolouration. Furthermore, AgNPs can be decorated or coupled with other healingpromoting materials to provide optimum healing. This review details the history and impact of
silver-based therapies leading up to AgNPs and AgNP-based nanoformulations in wound healing. It
also highlights the properties of AgNPs that aid in wound healing and that make them superior to
conventional silver-based wound treatment therapies. | en_US |
