What disease is treated with gold?
When is gold treatment used? Gold is used most often to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It is sometimes also used to treat juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Gold appears to work best in the early stages of arthritis but it may be effective in anyone with active joint pain and swelling.
What are gold salts used to treat TB?
Created in Denmark in 1925, sanocrysin (sodium-gold-thio-sulphate) was said to neutralize TB and confer immunity. Side-effects to the intramuscular injections were severe, though, including fever, weight loss, vomiting, and – in many cases – death.
What are gold injections used for?
Gold injections had long been used to treat RA and other inflammatory joint diseases. They had previously been proven successful for many people with RA. Gold treatment was once the norm for treating moderate to severe RA. Its use goes back to the 1920s when gold compounds were treatments for tuberculosis.
Is gold anti inflammatory?
Gold (Au) compounds have been utilized as effective therapeutic agents for the treatment of some inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
How does gold salt help with arthritis?
Gold salts have been used in the treatment of human diseases for centuries, and are still an important therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Between 1 and 3% of rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving gold salts develop a reversible autoimmune thrombocytopenia [232 ]. This is associated with the development of antibodies that bind to platelets in the presence of gold or its metabolites. The thrombocytopenia occurs following weeks to months of treatment, and is usually reversible within a week after cessation of therapy. Six to 17% of goldtreated patients also develop nephropathy with proteinuria [ 233, 234 ]. Biopsy studies suggest that most cases of renal disease are due to membranous glomerulonephritis. Other changes, including minimal change glomerulonephritis and interstitial nephritis, have also been reported.
What are the effects of gold salts on the immune system?
The mechanism of action of gold salts is very poorly understood, but they are reported to have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antirheumatic and antimicrobial effects. Effects on the immune system include:
What is gold salt?
Gold salts are indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis that is unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy. Presently, the antiarthritic mechanism of action of gold salts is unknown. The most common hypothesis suggests that the accumulation of gold by macrophages inhibits both phagocytosis and of the activities of lysosomal enzymes Jessop et al (1973). These effects may help suppress the active stage of rheumatoid disease. Used in chronic advanced rheumatoid arthritis, gold salts may prevent further damage to affected joints Baldassare et al (1980). The initial response to oral gold salts requires 3–4 months of treatment, while the initial response to parental gold salts requires 6–8 weeks of administration USPDI (2000). Members of this class include auranofin, aurothioglucose, and sodium aurothiomalate.
What salts are used for pemphigus?
Gold salts are used in the treatment of pemphigus, but have paradoxically been reported to cause paucilesional pemphigus vulgaris ( 26A ).
How many cases of leukopenia are there with gold salt?
Gold salts have an extraordinarily high frequency of fatal adverse reactions, estimated at 1.6 cases per 10,000 prescriptions. Dose-dependent leukopenia is common, but several dozen cases of AA have been reported.
Is gold used for neuropathy?
Gold salts, usually sodium aurothiomalate, are used almost exclusively in the treatment of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis. These disorders may be associated with the development of peripheral neuropathy.51 For this reason, descriptions of gold neuropathy must be approached cautiously. Also, because the number of case reports is extremely small, the possibility that development of neuropathy is independent of the underlying disease or therapy should be considered. In the most suggestive reports available, a neuropathy has developed coincidentally with gold therapy. 59,68,110,119,126,216 The first symptoms, usually distal limb paresthesias, have appeared both after the first injection of gold and well into a course of prolonged therapy. In some cases, the neuropathy developed in the context of a systemic hypersensitivity reaction.
Can you take gold salts while pregnant?
Although gold salts were among the first effective treatments for RA and inflammatory arthritis, they are now rarely used due to the development of other disease-modifying agents. In animals, gold salts cross the placenta and can cause congenital abnormalities, including hydrocephaly and hydronephrosis.29 In humans, the data are limited on the use of gold during pregnancy. There is one case report of congenital anomalies occurring in an infant in which the mother was treated with gold salts. 30 Gold therapy should be stopped during pregnancy, although the long half-life of gold salts means that there are usually significant body stores of this medication at the time of pregnancy. This medication is considered to be compatible with breastfeeding.
What is gold therapy?
Gold therapy is used in both adults and children to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions such as psoriatic arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The treatment appears to be most effective when given in the early stages of arthritis, although it may offer benefits to anyone with active joint pain and swelling. 3
When was gold therapy first used?
Initially developed in the 1920s, gold therapy—a.k.a. aurotherapy or chrysotherapy—was the main treatment for RA until the introduction of methotrexate in the 1990s. 2 The move away from gold therapy was due not only to the superior effectiveness of newer RA treatments, but the therapy's harsher side effects (e.g., liver toxicity, kidney damage, and bone marrow diseases).
What to consider before starting gold therapy?
Prior to starting gold therapy, your healthcare provider will consider the severity of your disease, the number of joints affected, your response to other treatments, and the length of time you have experienced symptoms .
Where is gold stored?
Research suggests that gold is stored in lysosomes where it inhibits the processing of antigenic agents (any substance that stimulates the production of antibodies) and the release of proinflammatory cytokines (proteins that serve as messengers between cells). It is therefore classified as a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD). 4
Is gold therapy safe for arthritis?
Due to side effects, the need for close clinical and laboratory monitoring, and the inconvenience of office visits for intramuscular injections, gold therapy is typically only considered if your arthritis does not improve with simpler or safer treatments. 3 .
Can you use gold with methotrexate?
The use of gold is mostly reserved for patients who do not respond to or cannot tolerate methotrexate, other DMARDs, or TNF blockers . However, neither oral nor injectable gold therapy is recommended by the American College of Rheumatology for the treatment of arthritis due to the potential for serious side effects. 5
Is gold therapy bad for RA?
Some side effects of gold therapy are serious and a large part of why treatments like other DMARDs and biologic drugs are favored for RA. In fact, side effects lead to about one-third of patients discontinuing treatment before achieving its full effects. 1
What is gold salt used for?
This treatment method has been used since 1935 to reduce the swelling and slow progression of rheumatoid arthritis. However the working mechanism of how gold salts treat this dreadful disease always remained a mystery.
What happens if you take gold salts?
Skin rash, mouth sores, kidney problems though rare and less production of blood cells in the body are the side effects when gold salts are injected into the body.
How long does it take for gold to be excreted?
Though 70 percent of gold gets excreted from the body in the first 10 days of the intake of this drug, accumulation of the rest of this salt causes side effects to appear.
Is myochrysine a gold drug?
Myochrysine and Solganal are two such gold drugs (both of them are injections) available in the United States.
What is gold salt?
Gold salts describe ionic chemical compounds of gold . The term, which is a misnomer, has evolved into a euphemism for the gold compounds used in medicine. The application of gold compounds to medicine is called "chrysotherapy" and "aurotherapy." The first reports of research in this area appeared in 1935, primarily to reduce inflammation and to slow disease progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Most chemical compounds of gold, including some of the drugs discussed below, are not in fact salts. Gold compounds find wide use in electroplating, and as reagents in organic chemistry .
How does gold work in arthritis?
The mechanism by which gold drugs operate to treat arthritis is a matter of scientific debate. Of the various mechanisms that have been suggested for the transportation of the drugs to their sites of action in the synovium, it is thought that in the blood stream the gold attaches to albumin. The thiol groups on the gold drug being exchanged for the cysteine cysteine-34 of this protein. After arrival at the synovium, the Au (I) again undergoes a second thiol exchange reaction at cell membrane transport proteins and enters the cell via the shuttle thiol mechanism. Once absorbed into the cell, gold is proposed to be linked to anti-mitochrondrial activity and induced cell apoptosis. The myriad of side effects associated with this class of prodrugs is ascribed to the nonspecific absorption and pharmacological action, thus many cells not linked with the Rheumatoid Arthritis immune response are affected. Some assert that gold drugs merely inhibit the function of the various components of the immune response associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis, rather than acting in a disease curing fashion. It is thought that gold affects the entire immune response (phagocytes, leukocytes, T-Cells...) and reduce its potency and limit its oxidizing nature, ending the cycle of joint inflammation and erosion.
How often is gold given?
Gold drugs can be administered orally or by intramuscular injection, in which case it is administered weekly for approximately three to five months before less-frequent doses begin. Auranofin, in capsule form for oral administration, is marketed under the brand name Ridaura. Sodium aurothiomalate (Gold sodium thiomalate as brands Myocrisin UK, Aurolateor or Myochrysine U.S.) and aurothioglucose (Solganal in U.S.) are administered by injection. Regular urine tests to check for protein (indicating kidney damage) and blood tests are needed.
Does gold help with inflammatory bowel disease?
Gold compounds, which accumulate slowly in the body and, over time, reduce inflammation, especially related to rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriatic arthritis, membranous nephritis, lupus erythematosus and, infrequently, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).
Can gold salts help with autism?
In one report, researcher Boyd Haley suggests gold salts could serve as a treatment for autism, see autism therapies .
Does gold cause diarrhea?
Orally administered gold has fewer side effects than intramuscular injections. Common side effects of oral gold include decreased appetite, nausea, hair thinning and diarrhea, as well as problems affecting skin, blood, kidneys, or lungs. Common side effects of injected gold include an itchy skin rash or mouth sores, with rare instances of kidney problems or suppression of blood cell production .
Can gold salts be used for arthritis?
At present, gold salts are infrequently used to treat children with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pre viously termed Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis), as methotrexate is the convention. Gold salts are sometimes used for children with progressive polyarthritis who are unresponsive to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, methotrexate, and other medications. This treatment is expensive requiring frequent visits to the doctor and numerous lab tests.
What is gold used for?
Aurotherapy is a branch of medicine that uses chemical compounds of gold to treat certain conditions and diseases. Most notably, gold compounds (often incorrectly referred to as gold salts) have anti-inflammatory properties. As such, gold can play a role in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, psoriatic arthritis, membranous nephritis, and lupus erythematosus.
Can gold pills cause diarrhea?
Of course, as with any medicine, there is the possibility of side effects. When gold compounds are taken orally, they may cause decreased appetite, nausea, hair thinning and diarrhea, and/or problems affecting the soft tissues, like skin, blood, kidneys, eyes, or lungs. Injection treatments can cause skin rash, mouth sores, or in rare cases, kidney problems.
Is gold tasteless?
Pure gold is inert to all of the body’s internal chemistry – so it is tasteless and provides no nutritional value. However, there are ways to tweak gold’s formula to change this.
Does gold affect the body?
Remember, in its normal state, gold doesn’t affect the body at all. It’s only useful in medicine when converted to a chemical compound, such as gold thioglucose, gold sodium thiosulfate, or gold sodium thiomalate (to name a few). Most commonly, gold compounds are prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis. They can be taken either orally or via intramuscular injection (which is more effective). After a few weeks of treatment, the gold compounds build up inside the body and reduce stiffness and swelling in the joints.
Why did doctors use gold salts?
Physicians first used injections of gold salts in the early 1900s to ease the pain and swelling associated with arthritis. But treatment came at a high cost: The shots took months to take effect and side effects included rashes, mouth sores, kidney damage and occasionally, problems with the bone marrow's ability to make new blood cells.
What is gold salt used for?
Scientists at Duke University Medical Center may have solved the mystery surrounding the healing properties of gold -- a discovery they say may renew interest in gold salts as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Physicians first used injections of gold salts in the early 1900s to ease the pain ...
How does gold help the immune system?
Pisetsky, working with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, stimulated mouse and human immune system cells to secrete HMGB1, then treated them with gold salts. They found that the gold blocked the release of HMGB1 from the nucleus. That, in turn, should lessen the amount available to provoke the body's immune system, weakening the inflammatory response.
What is self healing material?
Sep. 14, 2017 — Self-healing materials are able to repair autonomously defects, such as scratches, cracks or dents, and resume their original shape. For this purpose, they must be composed of several components ...
Does gold block HMGB1?
They found that the gold blocked the release of HMGB1 from the nucleus. That, in turn, should lessen the amount available to provoke the body's immune system, weakening the inflammatory response. "Basically, keeping HMGB1 corralled inside the nucleus is a good thing, when it comes to arthritis," says Pisetsky.
Is gold good for arthritis?
Mar. 27, 2017 — Drugs containing gold have been used for centuries to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, they might be effective against cancer and HIV. One mechanism by which they work could ...
Is there gold in the Carlin type?
Resolving the 'Invisible' Gold Puzzle. May 1, 2019 — In Carlin-type gold deposits, which make up 75% of the US production, gold does not occur in the form of nuggets or veins, but is hidden -- together with arsenic -- in pyrite, also known as 'fool's ...
What medications can you take with gold sodium thiomalate?
Tell your doctor about all medications you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with gold sodium thiomalate, especially: heart or blood pressure medication such as benazepril (Lotensin), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), and others.
What are the side effects of gold sodium thiomalate?
Gold sodium thiomalate side effects. Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives, sweating, vomiting; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin;
How long does it take for gold sodium thiomalate to work?
Gold sodium thiomalate is usually given once every 1 to 4 weeks, depending on your response to the medication. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully. Your doctor may want you to lie down for at least 10 minutes after each injection. It may take up to 8 weeks before your symptoms improve.
What is gold sodium thiomalate?
Gold sodium thiomalate is a form of gold that affects the process of inflammation in the body.
What to tell your doctor before taking gold sodium thiomalate?
Before you receive gold sodium thiomalate, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, skin rash, lung disease, a history of bone marrow depression or blood problems, or if you are taking an anti-malaria medication.
What are the diseases that affect the blood cells?
kidney disease; liver disease; heart disease, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure; circulation problems or a history of stroke; cancer; diabetes; malaria; a blood cell disorder such as anemia or low levels of platelets in your blood; or.
Can gold sodium thiomalate harm an unborn baby?
It is not known whether gold sodium thiomalate will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. Gold sodium thiomalate passes into breast milk and may affect a nursing infant. Gold sodium thiomalate is not recommended for use during breast-feeding.
What are the side effects of gold injections?
Just like other DMARDs, gold injections may cause side effects, including: Share on Pinterest. Side effects of gold injections may include lightheadedness, nausea, and dizziness. dizziness. nausea and vomiting. flushing and sweating. lightheadedness. increased joint pain at the start of treatment.
When was gold used for RA?
Gold treatment was once the norm for treating moderate to severe RA. Its use goes back to the 1920s when gold compounds were treatments for tuberculosis.
What is sodium aurothiomalate?
Sodium aurothiomalate belongs to a class of drugs called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs. DMARDs are known for their inflammation-blocking qualities. If inflammation in the body is not blocked, it can cause the joints and tissues to wear down to the point of disability in just a few years.
Why are gold injections not being made?
While gold injections were once praised for their high rates of remission, their use has declined and they are no longer being made. This is due to potentially severe side effects and the development of stronger and better-tolerated RA medicines.
How long does it take for gold injections to work?
Gold injection treatment must be used regularly for the best results. It can take up to 3 months before people see significant results.
Does gold help with arthritis?
Gold injections may decrease the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. Gold injections have long been used to treat RA and other inflammatory joint diseases. They have previously been proven successful for many people with RA. These injections are not pain relievers, but they decrease pain because they decrease inflammation.
Is gold injections as effective as methotrexate?
Previous research has shown gold injections to be just as effective as methotrexate, according to a historical report of RA treatments in the medical journal, JSM Arthritis. Although rarely prescribed, gold therapy remains the most effective treatment for some people.
Uses
Side Effects
- Some side effects of gold therapy are serious and a large part of why treatments like other DMARDs and biologic drugs are favored for RA. In fact, side effects lead to about one-third of patients discontinuing treatment before achieving its full effects.1 That said, the most common side effects are mild. Some people do not experience any side effects at all.3 Side effects may a…
Before Taking
- Most rheumatologists no longer offer gold therapy to patients with arthritis. However, you may be able to find an alternative medicineprovider who specializes in pain management or autoimmune disease that provides gold therapy. Prior to starting gold therapy, your healthcare provider will consider the severity of your disease, the number of joints affected, your response to other treat…
Dosage
- Gold therapy is currently only available as oral therapy. Production of intramuscular gold ceased in 2019 due to a global shortage of gold sodium thiomalate.8
Warnings and Interactions
- Gold therapy should not be taken alongside other DMARDs, biologics, or antimalarial drugs as harmful interactions may occur. These include, but are not limited to:10 1. Arava(leflunomide) 2. Azulfidine(sulfasalazine) 3. Chloroquine 4. Cimzia(certolizumab pegol) 5. Enbrel(etanercept) 6. Humira(adalimumab) 7. Kineret(anakinra) 8. Orencia(abatacept) 9. Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquin…
Overview
- Gold salts describe ionic chemical compounds of gold. The term, which is a misnomer, has evolved into a euphemism for the gold compounds used in medicine. The application of gold compounds to medicine is called "chrysotherapy" and "aurotherapy." The first reports of research in this area appeared in 1935, primarily to reduce inflammation and to slow disease progression …
Medical Uses
- Indications
Gold compounds, which accumulate slowly in the body and, over time, reduce inflammation, especially related to rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriatic arthritis, membranous nephritis, lupus erythematosus and, infrequently, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis(JRA… - Administration
Gold drugs can be administered orally or by intramuscular injection, in which case it is administered weekly for approximately three to five months before less-frequent doses begin. Auranofin, in capsule form for oral administration, is marketed under the brand name Ridaura. S…
Types of Gold Salts
- Medical use: 1. Auranofin(UK & U.S.) 2. Aurothioglucose(Gold thioglucose) (U.S.) 3. Disodium aurothiomalate 4. Sodium aurothiosulfate (Gold sodium thiosulfate) 5. Sodium aurothiomalate(Gold sodium thiomalate) (UK) Industrial use: 1. Potassium gold cyanide (KAu(CN)2), containing 68.2% by weight of gold, is sometimes used for industrial purposes suc…
References
- Emery P, Suarez-Almazor M (2002). "Rheumatoid arthritis". Clinical Evidence(10): 1454–1476. PMID 12230730.
- Kwoh CK, et al. (2002). "Guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis". Arthritis and Rheumatism, 46(2): 328–346. PMID 11840435.
- Petiot P, Charles N, Vial C, McGregor B, Aimard G, Trillet M, Bady B. Rev Neurol (Paris), "Neuro…
- Emery P, Suarez-Almazor M (2002). "Rheumatoid arthritis". Clinical Evidence(10): 1454–1476. PMID 12230730.
- Kwoh CK, et al. (2002). "Guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis". Arthritis and Rheumatism, 46(2): 328–346. PMID 11840435.
- Petiot P, Charles N, Vial C, McGregor B, Aimard G, Trillet M, Bady B. Rev Neurol (Paris), "Neurological complications caused by gold salts. Nosologic report apropos of a case" (article in French)....
- Richards DG, McMillin DL, Mein EA, Nelson CD. Gold and its relationship to neurological/glandular conditions. Int J Neurosci 2002;112:31-53. MeridianInstitute.comPMID 12152404.
External Links
- "Gold salts for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis". BCHealthGuide.org
- "Gold salts information". DiseasesDatabase.com
- "Gold fingered: An unexpected discovery may help explain how old arthritis drugs work." The Economist(March 2, 2006)
- "HMS researchers find how gold fights arthritis: Sheds light on how medicinal metal function …
- "Gold salts for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis". BCHealthGuide.org
- "Gold salts information". DiseasesDatabase.com
- "Gold fingered: An unexpected discovery may help explain how old arthritis drugs work." The Economist(March 2, 2006)
- "HMS researchers find how gold fights arthritis: Sheds light on how medicinal metal function against rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases." Harvard University Gazette(2006)