Silver lactate is the silver salt of lactate. Silver lactate is a drug that can be used as antimicrobial agent in the external application. This is due to the effect of silver ion in killing bacteria via inhibiting respiratory pathway, destroying cell wall, impairing essential enzymes, obstructing metabolic activity and/or cause DNA stress. Its application in the treatment of thermal burn has been reported, thus being made into cream. Study has also found that it can decrease superoxide anion formation and chemotaxis in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Silver lactate staining can also be applied to the von Kossa reactions for calcium deposits to increases sensitivity and reduces background.
Recrystallise it from H2O by adding EtOH. The solid is collected, washed with EtOH, then Et2O, and dried at 80o to give the dihydrate. It is a white powder soluble in 15 parts of H2O but only slightly soluble in EtOH. Store it in the dark. [Engelhardt & Maddrell Justus Liebigs Ann Chem 63 89 1847, Karrer et al. Helv Chim Acta 2 251 1919, Beilstein 3 III 464.]
