ABSTRACT
Nanoparticulate-based drug delivery has brought a renaissance in the global health arena. Akin to their organic counterparts, metallic colloidal particles have a long established potential in the areas of biology, catalysis, diagnostics and therapeutics. As early as 2500 BC, metallic particles were recognized as indigenous part of the traditional system of medicine in Chinese and Indian cultures. These familiar “Bhasmas” are metal-based compounds known for their vital medicinal value (Perks 2010). During the 17th century, gold (Au) was popularly used in the coloring of glass to produce intense shades of yellow, red or brown depending on the concentration used. An exemplary case in point are the Lycurgus cup (Perks 2010) and the Fabergé’s Imperial Easter eggs. In 1857, Michael Faraday reported the preparation of a deep red colored solution of Au colloids by the reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions (AuCl4
–). In modern medicine, the initial use of Au was discovered by Robert Koch (1890) against the tubercle bacillus (Daniel and Astruc 2004). Commercially Ridauro™, Myochrysine™, and Solgonal™ like Au-based compounds are still used today for various therapeutic applications (Shaw 1999).
