Effect of gold thiomalate on cell proliferation and collagen synthesis of synovial cells in culture.

Human synovial cells from cases of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis were cultured and at their 3-5 passages, were treated with gold thiomalate. At early-log phase gold thiomalate arrested the proliferation of cells. However, at confluent state shere was a slight proliferation of synovial cells. This was followed by an increase in prolyl hydroxylase, collagen and protein synthesis, indicating that gold salts directly stimulate the synovial cells.