92 replies to this topic

[dz93]

You're right. I am bummed out a bit because you think I may have experienced a placebo. How do I become an experienced observer?

[Turnbuckle]

Gold nanoparticles can increase ROS--

Effects of silver and gold nanoparticles on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocytes

The use of nanomaterials is rapidly increasing, while little is known about their possible ecotoxicological effects. This work investigates the toxic effects of silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanoparticles on rainbow trout hepatocytes. In addition to toxicity assessment the particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). Hepatocyte primary cultures were exposed to Au and Ag nanoparticles, with and without dissolved organic carbon (DOC), as well as HAuCl4 and AgNO3 as ionic solutions at concentrations up to 17.4 mg/L and 19 mg/L, respectively. Ag and Au particles were within the small nanometer size range when dispersed in pure water. In media with higher ionic strength and DOC, particles tended to agglomerate. Cytotoxicity assessments showed that Ag nanoparticles caused a significant reduction in membrane integrity and cellular metabolic activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Au nanoparticles caused a threefold elevation of ROS levels, but no cytotoxicity occurred at concentrations tested. The addition of DOC did not alter the particles potency of cytotoxicity or ROS induction capacity. The current study shows that Ag and Au nanoparticles have adverse effects on rainbow trout hepatocytes at low mg/L concentrations.

Silver NP actually seem to reduce ROS, but gold goes the other way. Still, it's not a problem for small concentrations--

Attached Files

•  Au.JPG   29.88KB   8 downloads

Edited by Turnbuckle, 04 October 2013 - 10:03 PM.

[Turnbuckle]

Nanogold Stimulates Neurite Outgrowth and Mitochondrial Function in N2A Cells



Abstract: Neurite outgrowth is a major state of neuronal differentiation and forms the basis of the adaptive link within neuronal system. However, to date, no well describe the effects of nanogold on neurite outgrowth. Here we have evaluated the effects of nanogold on neurite outgrowth and mitochondrial function in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2a (N2A) cell line. Our results show that 10 ppm nanogold promotes neurite outgrowth of N2A cells and significantly increases the percentage of neurite-bearing cells. Importantly, the level of ATP and the transcript level of D-loop in the N2A cells were effectively enhanced by 10 ppm nanogold. These evidences imply the chance to further explore the effects of nanogold on events associated to neuronal development procedure.

http://embc.embs.org...013/3112_FI.pdf

[trance]

I wonder if this has the same effectiveness:  image.jpg   101.35KB   13 downloads

[dz93]

Probably not even real gold lol

[trance]

It is real.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Goldschläger
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http://flic.kr/s/aHsiNutJoK
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Edited by trance, 06 October 2013 - 02:08 AM.

[niner]

Thanks for those papers, Turnbuckle. If 5mg/l (5ppm) is ok for cells in vitro, and a 30mg dose is the putative IQ-booster, then it should be ok, since the aqueous compartment of the adult male human is on the order of 40 liters. If neurite outgrowth is the MoA, is that consistent with the observation that the IQ effects faded after three months of non-use? Have you seen any PK data on gold nanoparticles?

[niner]

This sounds favorable...

PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e58208. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058208. Epub 2013 Feb 28.
In vivo study of spherical gold nanoparticles: inflammatory effects and distribution in mice.
Chen H, Dorrigan A, Saad S, Hare DJ, Cortie MB, Valenzuela SM.

School of Medical and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

OBJECTIVES:

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of 21 nm have been previously well characterized in vitro for their capacity to target macrophages via active uptake. However, the short-term impact of such AuNPs on physiological systems, in particular resident macrophages located in fat tissue in vivo, is largely unknown. This project investigated the distribution, organ toxicity and changes in inflammatory cytokines within the adipose tissue after mice were exposed to AuNPs.
METHODS:

Male C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with a single dose of AuNPs (7.85 μg AuNPs/g). Body weight and energy intake were recorded daily. Tissues were collected at 1 h, 24 h and 72 h post-injection to test for organ toxicity. AuNP distribution was examined using electron microscopy. Proinflammatory cytokine expression and macrophage number within the abdominal fat pad were determined using real-time PCR.
RESULTS:

At 72 hours post AuNP injection, daily energy intake and body weight were found to be similar between Control and AuNP treated mice. However, fat mass was significantly smaller in AuNP-treated mice. Following IP injection, AuNPs rapidly accumulated within the abdominal fat tissue and some were seen in the liver. A reduction in TNFα and IL-6 mRNA levels in the fat were observed from 1 h to 72 h post AuNP injection, with no observable changes in macrophage number. There was no detectable toxicity to vital organs (liver and kidney).
CONCLUSION:

Our 21 nm spherical AuNPs caused no measurable organ or cell toxicity in mice, but were correlated with significant fat loss and inhibition of inflammatory effects. With the growing incidence of obesity and obesity-related diseases, our findings offer a new avenue for the potential development of gold nanoparticles as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of such disorders.

PMID: 23469154
PMCID: PMC3585265 Free PMC Article

[dz93]

Gee maybe this quack is on to something after all.

I do want to add I believe gold increases speed of synaptic transmission due to it being a conductor of electricity. Once my body excreted it all then the feeling of dullness was probably because of the decrease in speed.

Edited by dz93, 06 October 2013 - 03:51 AM.

[Turnbuckle]

Toxicity and cellular uptake of gold nanoparticles: what we have learned so far?

The physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles can affect their pharmacokinetics such as absorption, metabolism, distribution, and elimination. For example, Hillyer and Albrecht (2001) showed that the absorption of gold nanoparticles following oral administration to mice is size-dependent. Smaller nanoparticles were found to cross the gastrointestinal wall more readily after oral intake. Other studies investigated the bio-distribution of gold colloid after intravenous injection in rats. De Jong et al. injected rats with 10, 50, 100, 250 nm gold nanoparticles and after 24 h rats were killed and gold concentration in different organs were quantified by ICP-MS. Their data showed that the smallest size (10 nm) nanoparticles were found in the blood, spleen, liver, testis, lung, and brain; the larger sizes were found only in spleen and kidney (De Jong et al. 2008). In a very similar study, Sonavane et al. (2008) showed that 15 nm is the most widely distributed size in vivo among a nanoparticle library with diameters from 15 to 200 nm, and that 15 and 50 nm nanoparticles were able to enter the brain. These findings highlight the size-dependent biodistribution of gold nanoparticles in vivo.

According to FDA guidelines, pharmaceutical drugs should be eliminated via metabolism or excretion processes after they enter the body. Drug elimination reduces toxicity and prevents drug accumulation. Similar to pharmaceutical drugs, nanoparticles should be designed to be eliminated in the body. Indeed, nanoparticle elimination should be considered seriously, since they are more resistant to elimination routes such as metabolism and renal excretion. No long-term studies on gold nanoparticles have been reported to our knowledge. As one related example, injected semiconductor quantum dots in mice remained intact for more than 2 years in mouse tissues, retaining their fluorescence activity (Ballou et al. 2007). This resistance might be because of their large size (too large to be filtered from the kidney) and their higher chemical stability (against dissolution and degradation) compared to molecules. It is thought that nanoparticles should have final hydrodynamic diameters ≤5.5 nm to be excreted from the rat body by the renal route (Choi et al. 2007). Since the majority of the studied gold nanoparticles are larger than this renal filtration cutoff, in the few studies that have been performed, the gold nanoparticles were not excreted in urine; instead they were found to be eliminated from the blood by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and thus to accumulate in the spleen and liver (De Jong et al. 2008; von Maltzahn et al. 2009).

From a more recent paper--

Effect of gold nanoparticles on glutathione and malondialdehyde levels in liver, lung and heart of rats

Our results showed significant lipid peroxidation in liver of rats treated with gold nanoparticles. The liver and spleen are considered two dominant organs for biodistribution and metabolism of gold nanoparticles (de Jong et al., 2008; Semmler-Behnke et al., 2008; Chen et al., 2009; Balasubramanian et al., 2010). It is thought that nanoparticles should have final hydrodynamic diameters [less-than-or-eq, slant]5.5 nm to be excreted from the rat body through kidneys (Choi et al., 2007). If gold nanoparticles are larger than this renal filtration cutoff, they are not excreted in urine; instead they are eliminated from the blood by the reticuloendothelial system and thus tend to accumulate in the spleen and liver (de Jong et al., 2008; von Maltzahn et al., 2009).

As the gold NPs above 5.5 nm accumulate in the liver and spleen and take an unknown though likely very long time to be cleared, the concentration there might become a problem if you took the dose reported in the IQ experiment (30 mg/day) for any length of time. Esp. considering what the first paper above says--

Chen et al. studied the toxicity of wide size range of citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (spheres of diameter: 3, 5, 8, 12, 17, 37, 50, 100 nm) in mice. They found that the smallest sizes (3 and 5 nm) and the largest size (50 and 100 nm) are not toxic at the dose they were using (Table 3). However, they found that the intermediate size range of 8–37 nm had lethal effects on mice inducing severe sickness, loss of appetite, weight loss, change in fur color, and shorter average lifespan.

According to Chen--

Assessment of the In Vivo Toxicity of Gold Nanoparticles

Naked GNPs ranging from 3 to 100 nm were injected intraperitoneally into BALB/C mice at a dose of 8 mg/kg/week. GNPs of 3, 5, 50, and 100 nm did not show harmful effects; however, GNPs ranging from 8 to 37 nm induced severe sickness in mice. Mice injected with GNPs in this range showed fatigue, loss of appetite, change of fur color, and weight loss. Starting from day 14, mice in this group exhibited a camel-like back and crooked spine. The majority of mice in these groups died within 21 days. Injection of 5 and 3 nm GNPs, however, did not induce sickness or lethality in mice. Pathological examination of the major organs of the mice in the diseased groups indicated an increase of Kupffer cells in the liver, loss of structural integrity in the lungs, and diffusion of white pulp in the spleen. The pathological abnormality was associated with the presence of gold particles at the diseased sites...

If the GNPs are cleared only over a period of months, then by day 14, they would have reached an average body level of 16 mg/kg in 2 weeks. In humans this would be a gram, about what the subjects in the IQ experiment received during the one month dosing period.

Edited by Turnbuckle, 06 October 2013 - 12:25 PM.

[niner]

Anyone have the full text of this?

Chem Soc Rev. 2011 Mar;40(3):1647-71. doi: 10.1039/c0cs00018c. Epub 2010 Nov 16.
Biodistribution and toxicity of engineered gold nanoparticles: a review of in vitro and in vivo studies.
Khlebtsov N, Dykman L.

Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Plants and Microorganisms, RAS, 13 Pr. Entuziastov, Saratov 410049, Russian Federation. khlebtsov@ibppm.sgu.ru

Recent advances in wet chemical synthesis and biomolecular functionalization of gold nanoparticles have led to a dramatic expansion of their potential biomedical applications, including biosensorics, bioimaging, photothermal therapy, and targeted drug delivery. As the range of gold nanoparticle types and their applications continues to increase, human safety concerns are gaining attention, which makes it necessary to better understand the potential toxicity hazards of these novel materials. Whereas about 80 reports on the in vivo biodistribution and in vitro cell toxicity of gold nanoparticles are available in the literature, there is lack of correlation between both fields and there is no clear understanding of intrinsic nanoparticle effects. At present, the major obstacle is the significant discrepancy in experimental conditions under which biodistribution and toxicity effects have been evaluated. This critical review presents a detailed analysis of data on the in vitro and in vivo biodistribution and toxicity of most popular gold nanoparticles, including atomic clusters and colloidal particles of diameters from 1 to 200 nm, gold nanoshells, nanorods, and nanowires. Emphasis is placed on the systematization of data over particle types and parameters, particle surface functionalization, animal and cell models, organs examined, doses applied, the type of particle administration and the time of examination, assays for evaluating gold particle toxicity, and methods for determining the gold concentration in organs and distribution of particles over cells. On the basis of a critical analysis of data, we arrive at some general conclusions on key nanoparticle parameters, methods of particle surface modification, and doses administered that determine the type and kinetics of biodistribution and toxicity at cellular and organismal levels (197 references).

PMID: 21082078

[trance]

Here you go, niner:

http://www.researchg...56e41ab0b77.pdf

[Turnbuckle]

The gold NP I obtained was mesogold, and I'm glad to see that almost all of their product is between 2-5 nm and thus can be eliminated by the renal route. According to the Chen paper, 3 & 5 nm did not prove toxic in rats.

The mesogold size distribution--

Attached Files

•  size.JPG   44.64KB   14 downloads

Edited by Turnbuckle, 06 October 2013 - 07:55 PM.

[dz93]

Now I'm trying to find a method of making nano gold but also making sure the particle size is small enough. I may just break down and buy a 5 gallon jug from them. Ive been craving gold lol

[niner]

Re: Mesogold- Wow, that stuff is expensive! If you buy the largest container, a 5 gallon carboy for $619 (and probably $50-60 shipping), you get 379mg gold. The Optimox IQ study used 30mg/day. If we used 20mg/day of the Mesogold product, that would be one liter, which would cost $32.70 (plus shipping) daily. At that rate, the 5 gallon size would last 18.93 days... One might hope that the smaller particle size of Mesogold (2-5nm) versus "under 20nm for Optimox would reduce the amount needed, but I have to wonder how effective it would be at their suggested dose of 1-4 tablespoons/day (15-60ml/d), since it doesn't appear that they've done any human testing.

Optimox's Aurasol is $45 for thirty 10mg capsules. At this price, attempting to replicate their IQ experiment, using three caps, would cost $4.50/day. You certainly get a lot more gold per dollar with Optimox. The bottom line question is what's the functional difference (and tox difference) between Aurasol at "under 20nm" and Mesogold at 2-5nm?

[vtrader]

i'm trying some nano gold, so far the only difference I notice is that it really makes part of my body really annoyingly itchy, but that could also be due to the weather change. The bottle is nearly finished, will see if it was the nano gold making me feel itchy.

[Godof Smallthings]

NGF (nerve growth factor) is associated with itching, although I do not quite understand the exact mechanism, so maybe it is irrelevant here.

[Turnbuckle]

i'm trying some nano gold, so far the only difference I notice is that it really makes part of my body really annoyingly itchy, but that could also be due to the weather change. The bottle is nearly finished, will see if it was the nano gold making me feel itchy.

From this paper by Guy Abraham--

Patients may develop skin rashes, itching and diarrhea if the trichloride salt is not completely reduced. If the starting form of the gold used in the preparation of the colloidal gold is the trichloride salt, a cathionic form with oxidant properties and with adverse reactions on the skin and gastrointestinal tract, a complete reduction of the cathionic gold, confirmed by the absence of a UV absorption peak at 290 nm in the supernatant after ultracentrifugation, would be a sine qua non requirement for use of this preparation in clinical medicine...

In summary, it is important to make a clear distinction between the ionic and metallic forms of gold and silver. The ionic forms of gold and silver display toxicity both in vivo and in vitro. On the other hand, the metallic colloidal forms of these metals are extremely safe. There is convincing evidence presented here to suggest that an upper limit of 10-nm diameter of colloidal gold and silver is required for physiological and clinical effects...

[niner]

i'm trying some nano gold, so far the only difference I notice is that it really makes part of my body really annoyingly itchy, but that could also be due to the weather change. The bottle is nearly finished, will see if it was the nano gold making me feel itchy.

Which product are you using?

[vtrader]

I am using this http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4d134e951f

So what does this all mean, is it a crap product for my body type, do I need to get a more mainstream brand?

The itching is mainly on my lower leg around the calf and ankle. It is getting unbearable now.

Edited by vtrader, 07 October 2013 - 04:11 PM.

[trance]

How would one know if the product they're purchasing is keeping within the safe nm limits per the above "Biodistribution and toxicity of engineered gold nanoparticles: a review of in vitro and in vivo studies" paper warns about?

It seems some home brew or garage enterprise could make no assurances that the particles are in safe ranged sizes without some extremely specialized equipment, filtering, and measuring methods.

Edited by trance, 07 October 2013 - 05:53 PM.

[Turnbuckle]

I am using this http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4d134e951f

So what does this all mean, is it a crap product for my body type, do I need to get a more mainstream brand?

The itching is mainly on my lower leg around the calf and ankle. It is getting unbearable now.

This website says the product is 1-100 nanometer. According to Guy Abraham, 10 nm is the upper limit for seeing useful effects, while according to Chen's paper, GNPs above 5.5 nm tend to accumulate in the liver. So this may not be the best product.

Edited by Turnbuckle, 07 October 2013 - 07:03 PM.

[niner]

This website says the product is 1-100 nanometer. According to Guy Abraham, 10 nm is the upper limit for seeing useful effects, while according to Chen's paper, GNPs above 5.5 nm tend to accumulate in the liver. So this may not be the best product.

I have to wonder about anything I read on that website when it says things like

Colloidal Gold solution recommended consumption of acute and chronic arthritis, degeneration of the event to effectively reduces pain, relieves swelling and improves joint movement.

Effectively use of alcohol, nicotine, caffeine addition reduction.

Anti-bacterial effect of stopping the most superior materials that are used by dentist today prefer again.

And it's a UK site, ironically.... Sounds like a random word generator.

More worrying, I found this on the Mesogold site:

Forms of Iridium, and its twin Rhodium, are now thought by some researchers to account for some 5% or more of the dry weight of the brain. They apparently perform essential tasks as superconductors in a sort of nutrient-of-consciousness role.

This suggests that they have no scientific training (or even common sense!) to speak of. Sad, because it also looks like they may have the best product, albeit wildly expensive. I still think there might be something to metal NPs in the right size range, but this little corner of the internet is utterly awash in red flags of quackery. There also appear to be some dangerous products out there. vtrader, I'd stop taking that low-budget colloidal gold if I was you. You might need a topical steroid for the itch/rash. You could also try an antihistamine cream. They can work on itch in cases that steroids don't touch.

[Turnbuckle]

vtrader might be taking defective GNPs, but he also may have run into poison ivy, as the location of the itch suggests.

[Turnbuckle]

This suggests that they have no scientific training (or even common sense!) to speak of. Sad, because it also looks like they may have the best product, albeit wildly expensive. I still think there might be something to metal NPs in the right size range, but this little corner of the internet is utterly awash in red flags of quackery. There also appear to be some dangerous products out there. vtrader, I'd stop taking that low-budget colloidal gold if I was you. You might need a topical steroid for the itch/rash. You could also try an antihistamine cream. They can work on itch in cases that steroids don't touch.

Apparently this stuff is being made by and for newage quacks. One AZ farmer by the name of David Hortman is the source of the 5% brain iridium nonsense, and apparently he was making NPs until about 15 years ago, in spite of having no familiarity with chemistry or biology or any other science. The EPA fined his operation out of existence.

[niner]

Using today's somewhat depressed rhodium price of $1000/oz, average brain weight of 1350g, 77.5%water, 31g/troy oz, a brain ought to fetch about five hundred bucks. Being a rhodium zombie would thus be more profitable than stealing catalytic converters.

[Turnbuckle]

The nano-gold new age nonsense is truly unparalleled in its stupidity. Here's another example--

Nano particles are much smaller than atoms, one billionth of a meter in size (twenty million nanos are the size of one atom). While our visible world is three dimensional (having width, length & depth), a nano is two dimensional: if it were turned on its side, it would disappear. Without depth or weight, but with a large surface area, a Nano holds an enormous amount of energy. It is this two dimensional characteristic that gives a nano its incredible amount of unspent energy.

Edited by Turnbuckle, 08 October 2013 - 12:26 AM.

[niner]

That is hilarious!

[vtrader]

Is there a recommended brand, like the LEFs,doctors best of supplements for nano?

[8bitmore]

That is hilarious!

It would be if it wasn't the case that this kind of pseudo science crap is exactly what causes whole fields of unexplored aspects of reality to be left alone with its unparalleled power of inanity - happy to see Turnbuckle give the Mesogold a practical go though, for science (and possible IQ boost)!