What is colloidal gold?

Another question I am asked frequently is colloidal gold and whether it has health benefits such as colloidal silver. Well, the answer is no; however, I will further explain why colloidal gold has not gained health benefits.

Thanks to the unique optical, electronic and molecular properties of gold nano-particles, they're the subject of substantial research, with applications in a many of sectors. These include electron microscopy, electronics, nanotechnology and materials science.

Known since the ancient times; the synthesis of colloidal gold was initially used as a method of colouring glass. The new scientific evaluation of colloidal gold did not begin until the work of Michael Faraday in the 1950s. Colloidal gold was used to colour the glass; giving intense shades of yellow, red or mauve; depending on the concentration of gold, and in Hindu-Chemistry, for various potions. In the sixteenth century, the alchemist Paracelsus claimed to have created a medicine called Aurum Potable, which in Latin means drinking gold.

In the 17th century, the glass colouring process was perfected by Andreus Cassius and Johann Kunckel. John Herschel invented a the process called Chrysotype in 1842, [from the Greek word for gold] which used colloidal gold to record images on paper. Paracelsus work; known for inspiring Faraday to prepare the first pure colloidal gold sample, which he called activated gold, in 1857.

Healthcare and medical applications

Experimental drugs for Alzheimer's disease

An experiment has shown the combination of colloidal gold and microwave radiation can destroy the fibrils and beta-amyloid plaque associated with Alzheimer's disease. The possibilities for many similar radiation applications are currently being studied with Colloidal Gold in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe.
Drug carrier

Gold nanoparticles have been tested as carriers of drugs such as Paclitaxel. The administration of hydrophobic drugs requires molecular encapsulation; nanometer-sized particles are particularly efficient in evading the reticuloendothelial system.

Tumour Detection

In cancer research; colloidal gold has been used to target tumours and provide detection using SERS [Raman spectroscopy with improved surface] in vivo. These gold nanoparticles are surrounded by Raman journalists who offer more than 200 times brighter than quantum dots. It turned out that Raman reporters; stabilized when the nanoparticles were encapsulated with a thiol-modified polyethene glycol coating. This allows compatibility and circulation. In particular, to target cancer cells, the pegylated gold particles are conjugated with an antibody such as scFv; for example against the epidermal growth factor receptor, which is sometimes overexpressed in cells of some types of cancer. Using SERS, these pegylated gold nanoparticles can then detect the location of the tumour.

So while we hope you see that colloidal gold has its uses, it is not the same or better than colloidal silver and only has particular roles.

We are still of the opinion that colloidal silver, ionic silver, nano-silver, meso-silver, colloidal silver with nanoparticles, colloidal silver spray are the only real example of a completely natural antibiotic that it is perfect for treating home health problems.