Anti-oxidant effects of gold compounds.

The anti-oxidant efficacy, in vitro, of the gold compounds auranofin (AF) and gold sodium thiomalate (GST) was examined by studying their effects on the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) using zymosan-stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and a cell-free, xanthine-xanthine oxidase system. The oxygen species investigated were the superoxide radical anion (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the hydroxyl radical (OH.). AF had an inhibitory effect on ROS production by PMNs. In particular, OH. generation was significantly suppressed in a dose-dependent fashion. AF did not inhibit ROS production in the cell-free system. GST produced only a small degree of inhibition at higher concentrations. These findings suggest that AF may play an important role in the inhibition of respiratory bursts and the generation of inflammatory reaction products. Since the products of the respiratory burst, especially potent oxidants such as OH. and H2O2, are thought to be important inflammatory mediators, it is postulated that the blockade of toxic ROS generation by AF affects rheumatoid as well as dermatological inflammation and tissue damage.