The Chaldeans of ancient Babylon recorded usage of silver for medical conditions as early as six thousand years ago. Hippocrates, the Greek philosopher, first wrote of silver’s antibacterial properties in 400 B.C.E.. By the turn of the 20th century, doctors were using it to treat infections ranging from gonorrhea to the common cold. Today it’s used in battlefield dressings, medical devices and skincare products.
But what makes silver the magic bullet?
That’s what James Collins, a biomedical engineer at Boston University, set out to discover.
As reported in the science journal, Nature:
Collins and his team found that silver — in the form of dissolved ions — attacks bacterial cells in two main ways: it makes the cell membrane more permeable, and it interferes with the cell’s metabolism, leading to the overproduction of reactive, and often toxic, oxygen compounds. Both mechanisms could potentially be harnessed to make today’s antibiotics more effective against resistant bacteria, Collins says.
In other words, silver helps to open up the cells to let the good stuff in, and to interrupt the cell’s ability to form, to keep the bad stuff out. Sounds pretty good to us! And so if silver is so effective for all these medical applications, why not apply it to everyday life?
Well, that’s what we set out to discover.
In creating ZTEK’s line of products, we wanted to find the most effective delivery system to meet our purifying needs. That’s how we discovered MICROSILVER BG™. What makes MICROSILVER BG™so special? Here are just some of the things we love:
- It’s pure – pure metallic silver particles act as antimicrobial agents
- It’s long-lasting – large microstructured surfaces ensure the continuous release of silver ions with antimicrobial effects
- It’s highly effective – against a multitude of bacteria and yeast, especially multi-resistant microorganisms
- It offers highly versatile application
- It’s easy to process in many different materials and formulations
- And most importantly, it’s safe!
Here’s the science-y stuff: ZTEK’s Purify Z (MICROSILVER BG™) is a pure silver powder consisting of highly porous and micro-sized non-nano particles of medical grade silver. Purify Z protects against a broad spectrum of bacteria and helps prevent the contraction and spread of unwanted microorganisms while gently soothing skin with custom botanicals. It’s safe for all skin types. Purify Z supports skin’s natural healing process, by accelerating the destruction of unfriendly bacteria, while promoting the breakdown of multi-resistant germs, bacteria and fungi.
Well that sounds pretty good to us too.