null W.S.R.

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The development of gold drugs

inaccessible to them. Therefore, the use of probes of
increasing size appears to be a tooi for studying not
only the lateral, but also the longitudinal distribution
of cell surface binding sites. However, since the
number of labelled particles bound to a surface is less
than that of the free molecules, the gold method does
not allow an absolute quantification of specific
surface receptors. This restriction also applies
to other particulate markers.
Conclusion
While the gold method has found some uses in
histochemistry, its main application is in
cytochemistry using both SEM and TEM. The
method is general and its versatility resides in the
wide variety of macromolecules which can be adsorb-
ed onto gold particles. Gold markers can be prepared
rapidly and inexpensively, they show little non-
specific adsorption and can be quantified by various
methods. They are also useful for multiple marking
experiments. Finally, using the technique, in-
tracellular antigens can be located on thin sections on
which the gold particles can be clearly identified.
Acknowledgements
The author thanks Mrs. J. Rosset for the scanning electron
micrographs, Ms. M. Vonlanthen for the transmission electron
micrographs, Mrs. Beaud for the photographic work and Pro-
fessor B. Hirt (Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research,
Lausanne) for the gift of mouse embryo fibroblasts.
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The Development of Gold Drugs
Three reviews have appeared in recent years, which in-
dicate that the development of gold drugs for use in
medicine may be entering a new and less empirical phase.
They are the following: `The Biological Chemistry of Gold:
a Metallodrug and Heavy-Atom Label with Variable
Valency' by P. J. Sadier of Birbeck College, University of
London, (Strttct. Bonding, 1976, 29, 171-214); `The Mam-
malian Biochemistry of Gold: an Inorganic Perspective of
Chrysotherapy', by C. F. Shaw III of the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, (Inorg. Perspect. Biol. Med., 1979, 2,
287-355) and `The Chemistry of the Gold Drugs Used in
the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis', by D. H. Brown
and W. E. Smith of the University of Strathclyde, (Chem.
Soc. Rev., 1980, 9, (2), 217-240).
Although gold is absorbed by some plants, it cannot nor-
mally be detected in animal tissues and is not regarded as an
essential element in living systems. Its administration is
therefore akin to that of toxic elements such as mercury and
basically different from that of biologically used elements
such as copper and iron.
Gold distributes widely in the body in which it undergoes
a variety of reactions. The most important of these appear
to be with thiols, and it undoubtedly exercises some of its
biological effects through such reactions and the disturb-
ance which they cause to normal metabolism. New
knowledge and new techniques are making studies of these
reactions more effective. As is emphasized by Brown and
Smith, however, gold is not applied in the form of ene drug
only and the in vivo reactions of compounds such as
triethylphosphinegold chloride, Auranofin and sodium
aurothiomalate are likely to be quite different. They do not
appear to produce a common metabolite on administration
and their clearance rates from particular tissues vary, as
well as their effects on enzymes. This makes the study of the
fundament als of gold therapy particularly difficult.
Nevertheless, the fact that gold complexes are effective
against such a widespread disease as rheumatoid arthritis,
for which there is no acknowledged cure, makes their fur-
ther study important. Although applications of these com-
plexes have been increasing in recent years, their use is still
restricted by the toxic effects which are often associated
with their administration. There is no reason to believe,
however, that their toxic and therapeutic effects are
necessarily linked and that research will not lead to more ef-
fective complexes and/or to improved conditions of ad-
ministration.	 W.S.R.
94	 Gold Bull., 1981, 14, (3)


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