A Pune-based start-up has developed an eco-friendly hand sanitiser that prolongs antimicrobial activity and obviates the need for repeated application, the government said on Thursday.
In a statement, the Ministry of Science and Technology said the alcohol-free, aqueous, non-inflammable and non-toxic hand sanitiser has been developed from silver nanoparticles by Weinnovate Biosolutions.
The product has completed the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved clinical trial for hand sanitisers and demonstrated high efficiency in killing viruses, it said.
The hand sanitiser prolongs antimicrobial activity, thus obviating the need for repeated application. Silver nanoparticles give slow and sustained release of silver ions to kill microorganisms that come in contact. Besides, it can be stored in ambient conditions, it said.
Dr Anupama Engineer, co-founder and COO of Weinnovate Biosolutions, said, “We are very confident of the study outcomes and are waiting to get the license for our hand sanitiser formulation from CDSCO, India.”
Silver nanoparticles have been found to be an effective antiviral that acts against many deadly viruses like HIV, Hepatitis B, herpes simplex virus and influenza virus, etc.
Recent reports have suggested the role of Glutathione capped-Ag2S NCs (silver nanoclusters) in inhibiting the proliferation of coronavirus by preventing the synthesis of viral negative-strand RNA (ribonucleic acid) and viral budding.
The colloidal silver on which the technology of Weinnovate Biosolutions’ sanitiser is based can help arrest the spread of COVID-19 by blocking the RNA replication and infectivity by blocking the surface glycoproteins, the statement said.