Evaluation in vitro of antiviral capacity of silver nanoparticles against SARS-CoV-2 v1

Thein vitroantiviral effect of AgNPs had been previously demonstrated as well as its toxicity in cells is known. Therefore, before studying its capacity to inhibit SARS-CoV-2, Vero E6 cell viability in the presence of AgNPs was studied. Two-fold serial dilutions of Argovit were added to Vero E6 monolayers and their viability was measured using a MTS Cell Proliferation Assay kit. MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulphophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) is a metabolic dye that relies on the conversion of soluble tetrazolium by bioreduction into a colored formazan product that is soluble in tissue culture medium. Once the concentration that is not toxic for Vero E6 cells was stablished, anin vitroinhibition assay was carried out, in which we confirmed that low non-toxic concentrations of AgNPs have an antiviral capacity against SARS-CoV-2.