The use of gold for medicinal purposes dates back 5,000 years. It has been used in dentistry and traditional Chinese medicine to treat various ailments, including palpitations, seizures, smallpox, and skin infections.
In Medieval Europe, alchemists created numerous recipes for elixirs known as "aurum potabile," which translates to "drinkable gold" in English. These elixirs contained minute particles of gold suspended in a volatile oil.
In the 17th century, a gold cordial advocated by Nicholas Culpepper was included in "Pharmacopeias" as a treatment for melancholy, fainting, and fevers.
Gold ions have been used to treat. rheumatoid arthritis to reduce joint pain. A recent study at Brown University suggests that gold nanoparticles-microscopic bit of gold thousands of times thinner than a human hair-have the potential to restore vision in individuals with macular degeneration and other retinal disorders.
In the 19th century, a mixture of gold chloride and sodium chloride was used to treat syphilis. In 1890, German bacteriologist Robert Koch discovered that gold compounds could inhibit the growth of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.
However, long-term exposure to gold does have its downsides.
Over the years, gold and its compounds have been evaluated and used in the medical treatment and diagnosis of several types of cancer, HIV, and malaria.
Currently, a new treatment using gold nanoparticles is being tested on mice. These nanoparticles are combined with antibodies to create a retinal prosthesis. The particles are then injected into the vitreous chamber of the eye, where infrared relays are used to activate them. Research has shown that these nanoparticles can remain in the retina for months without causing major toxicity.
As with most studies conducted on mice, there is a good chance that the findings will translate to humans. This breakthrough represents an important first step in medical advancements.
Sources:
www.brown.edu
www.healthline.com
www.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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www.pinterest.com/pin/68679963052853644
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