Sweet Gum-Coated Silver Nanoparticles for Rapid Viral Titer Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antiviral and antibacterial agents, such as bulk silver and chitosan-stabilized gold nanoparticles, are not effective against certain pathogens and have unpredictable biological activities, and phytochemicals like shikimic acid from sweet gum trees lack optimal bioavailability for medical applications.
Innovation Solution
Synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using sweet gum leaf extracts, encapsulating phytochemicals like shikimic acid, catechins, and flavonoids to create antiviral/antibacterial agents with enhanced efficacy, utilizing green and zero-carbon fabrication methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bulk silver is used as antiviral/antibacterial agent, then it provides broad spectrum coverage, but it is not effective against certain pathogens and has unpredictable biological activities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms bulk silver into silver nanoparticles with controlled size parameters (1-100 nm), which fundamentally changes the biological activity and efficacy. The nanoparticle form provides consistent and predictable antiviral/antibacterial effects across different pathogens, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining broad spectrum coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite nanomaterials by combining silver nanoparticles with gold nanoparticles and phytochemical coatings (shikimic acid, flavonoids, polyphenols). This composite structure enhances the antiviral/antibacterial efficacy and provides consistent performance against various pathogens including SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses.
2Reliability
If chitosan-stabilized gold nanoparticles are used, then antifungal properties are enhanced, but the properties are particular to the coating and reduction agent with limited applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops silver-gold nanoparticle composites with phytochemical coatings that exhibit universal antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. The combination of metallic nanoparticles with broad-spectrum phytochemicals (shikimic acid, catechins, quercetin) enables a single formulation to effectively target multiple pathogen types including viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the coating material from chitosan to phytochemicals derived from sweet gum leaves, which provides broader spectrum coverage and enhanced stability. The phytochemical coating including shikimic acid, flavonoids, and polyphenols enhances the nanoparticles' ability to interact with diverse pathogens while maintaining colloidal stability.
3Reliability
If phytochemicals from sweet gum leaves are used for nanoparticle synthesis, then bioavailability is improved, but the synthesis complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs plant-mediated synthesis where sweet gum leaf extract naturally contains reducing agents (flavonoids, polyphenols) that self-reduce metal salts to form nanoparticles. The phytochemicals in the plant extract automatically stabilize the nanoparticles without requiring additional stabilizing agents, simplifying the synthesis process while enhancing bioavailability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses sweet gum leaf extract as an intermediary that facilitates the synthesis of silver-gold nanoparticle composites. The phytochemicals in the extract (shikimic acid, catechins, quercetin) act as reducing agents and stabilizing agents simultaneously, enabling controlled nanoparticle formation with enhanced bioavailability while managing synthesis complexity.
4Productivity
If silver nanoparticles are used for antiviral treatment, then rapid viral titer reduction is achieved, but safety concerns may arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates silver-gold nanoparticle composites with phytochemical coatings that maintain the rapid antiviral efficacy of silver nanoparticles while reducing potential toxicity. The gold component and phytochemical coating (shikimic acid, flavonoids) provide biocompatibility and reduce harmful effects, enabling safe and rapid viral titer reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the nanoparticle size parameters (1-100 nm) and surface coating composition to enhance antiviral efficacy while improving safety profile. The controlled size and phytochemical coating reduce cellular uptake toxicity and enhance biocompatibility, allowing rapid viral titer reduction with improved human safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The synthesized nanoparticles demonstrate a 3.50 Log 10 reduction in viral titer (99.97%) within 1 minute and a 3.75 Log 10 reduction (99.98%) in 5 minutes, effectively neutralizing viruses like SARS-COV-2 and influenza, with no cytotoxicity detected.
Implementation Method 1
The synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using phytochemicals from sweet gum leaves
Implementation Method 2
encapsulating shikimic acid and other phytochemicals
Data Source
AI summary
A nanomaterial is gold or silver nanoparticle having a nanoparticle surface that consists of one or more of the following extracts from sweet gum leaves: shikimic acid, sweet gum leaf family of Catechins, sweet gum leaf family of Quercetin, Sweroside, Afzelechin, p-Coumaric Acid, Epiafzelechin Trimethyl Ether, Myricetin, Naringenin, Phloretin, Procyanidin B1 and related polyphenols, flavonoids and alkaloids. An antiviral/antibacterial agent includes sweet gum mediated silver nanoparticles having a core size and in a concentration having efficacy as an antiviral/antibacterial exceeding a 3 log 10 reduction in viral titer.