Solutions and aerosols of metal-containing compounds are disclosed. Methods of preparing and using the solutions and aerosols, particularly in the treatment of a subject having a condition, are also disclosed. The metal-containing material can be, for example, an antimicrobial material, an antibacterial material, an anti-inflammatory material, an anti-fungal material, an anti-viral material, an anti-cancer material, a pro-apoptosis material, and/or an MMP modulating material. In certain embodiments, the metal-containing material is an atomically disordered, silver-containing material.