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Diet diary: Colloidal silver and its presence in Ayurvedic medicine
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Diet diary: Colloidal silver and its presence in Ayurvedic medicine
At this time, there are not enough studies to determine right doses and safety levels. Until then, it is prudent to follow the principle of common sense, drawing from our ancient traditional practices.
Written by Ishi Khosla
September 30, 2017 04:47 IST
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Silver, silverware, utensils, Silver bowls, Silver utensils, silver cutlery, silver glasses, silver flasks, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, health news, lifestyle, Diet diary, Indian Express

 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently does not recognise colloidal silver as a safe antimicrobial agent.
Silver in the cuisine is not alien to India and older civilisations like Greeks, Roman, Chinese and Egyptians. Several celebratory dishes and garnishes use silver leaf (warq) and silverware, utensils such as bowls, cutlery, glasses and flasks are integral to our food heritage. In Ayurveda, silver has been used in the form of Bhasma (calcined formulation), called Rajat Bhasma, for 5000 years. Ayurvedic medicine uses silver in small amounts as a tonic and elixir. It was used to treat neurological disorders, respiratory tract disorders, muscular dystrophy, infertility, urinary tract disorders and diabetes. It only seems logical to assume, there must be some merit in this metal.

Silver has historically and extensively been used as a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent. It has a long and intriguing history as an antibiotic in human health care, and also as an antimicrobial in folk medicine. It was believed that people who ate from silver dishes and cutlery were less likely to get sick. It was believed to protect the rich from Plaque in the middle ages.

Silver leaf was used to combat infections in wounds sustained by troops during World War I. Silver has also been used for water purification, treating wounds, injuries, reconstructive orthopaedic surgery, cardiac devices, catheters and surgical appliances. In the early 1800s, doctors used silver sutures in surgical wounds very successfully and that was a time when western scientists rediscovered what was known for thousands of years that silver is a powerful germ fighter. Silver began to lose favour with the advent of antibiotics in around the 1930s. With the rise of antibiotic resistance, silver is making a comeback as a useful broad-spectrum antimicrobial alternative.