Sodium Tetrachloroaurate Drug Interactions, Uses, Safety & More
What is this page for?
First and foremost: how Sodium Tetrachloroaurate interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Sodium Tetrachloroaurate is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.
But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Sodium Tetrachloroaurate is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy
Check Sodium Tetrachloroaurate against your medication
Add one medicationDrugs that interact with Sodium Tetrachloroaurate
0 medications have a known interaction with Sodium Tetrachloroaurate, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.
We don’t currently list any known drug interactions for Sodium Tetrachloroaurate. This doesn’t guarantee none exist — always confirm with your pharmacist before combining supplements with your medications.
What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean
Severity — How Serious It Can Be
- Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
- Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
- Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
- No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.
Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented
- Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
- Probable. Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
- Possible. Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists
- Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Where This Data Comes From
- Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
- Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Sodium Tetrachloroaurate combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
- Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.
Sodium Tetrachloroaurate: Uses, Safety & Side Effects
Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold(III) chemical compound used in laboratories and industry, not a dietary supplement or herb. It is not approved or recommended for human use, and ingesting it can be harmful. Do not take it as a supplement.
- Part used
- Not a plant; this is a chemical gold(III) compound
- Common forms
- Laboratory reagent solution; not sold as a dietary supplement
- Used in chemistry as a source of gold
- Gold nanoparticle synthesis (research)
- Electroplating and gold chemistry
- Marketed by some sellers as a 'colloidal gold' precursor
Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.
This is an industrial gold(III) salt, not a supplement, and is not safe to consume.
When used orally or parenterally. Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold salt. Evidence from animal models shows that the administration of other gold sal...
Read the full pregnancy detailInsufficient reliable information available; avoid using. Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold salt. There is evidence that gold is excreted in milk fol...
Read the full breastfeeding detailPregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.
Overview
Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a chemical compound that contains gold in its trivalent (gold(III)) form. It is most often seen in laboratories and industry, where it serves as a soluble source of gold. It usually comes as a yellow to orange crystalline solid or a solution.
It is not a plant, herb, or traditional remedy, and it is not a recognized dietary supplement. Chemists use it to make gold nanoparticles, to study gold chemistry, and in some gold-plating processes. Despite this, some online sellers market gold compounds as health products, which can be misleading and unsafe.
Uses & effectiveness
There is no good evidence that sodium tetrachloroaurate is safe or effective for any health condition. It is not used in mainstream medicine as a supplement.
Some gold-based drugs (different, carefully designed compounds) have been used in medicine, for example certain medicines once used for rheumatoid arthritis. Those are not the same as this raw industrial chemical, and you cannot assume any benefit carries over. For sodium tetrachloroaurate specifically, the evidence for human health use is essentially nonexistent.
How it works
Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a reactive gold(III) salt. In a laboratory, it can be chemically reduced to form tiny particles of gold metal (gold nanoparticles). This is a chemistry process, not a proven health mechanism.
Because gold(III) is chemically reactive, it can bind to proteins and other molecules in the body and cause damage. Any talk of health "mechanisms" for this compound is not supported by reliable human research.
Safety & precautions
This compound is not meant to be eaten, drunk, or taken as a supplement. It is an industrial and laboratory chemical. Swallowing it or putting it on the skin can cause irritation, burns, or poisoning.
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid it completely, as should children and anyone else. If you handle it in a work or lab setting, follow the safety data sheet, wear protective equipment, and avoid skin and eye contact. If you bought a product claiming to be a gold "supplement," stop using it and speak with a pharmacist or doctor.
Side effects
Because this is not a tested supplement, there is no reliable list of "normal" side effects. Exposure to gold(III) salts can cause skin and eye irritation, chemical burns, stomach upset, and tissue damage. Gold compounds in general can sometimes trigger allergic skin reactions and, with medical gold drugs, problems with the kidneys and blood cells.
If you have swallowed this chemical or have a serious reaction, seek emergency medical care or contact a poison control center right away.
Sodium Tetrachloroaurate: Reported Adverse Effects
Documented safety reports on Sodium Tetrachloroaurate from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database, shown word-for-word from the licensed record.
No adverse effects have been reported; however, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted. Sodium tetrachloroaurate contains gold and might cause adverse effects similar to other gold salts. Orally, gold salts have been reported to cause gastrointestinal side effects, including diarrhea, loose stools, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. Ulcerative enterocolitis has also been reported, but this is rare. Orally and parenterally, gold salts may cause gold toxicity, with signs including aplastic anemia, low hemoglobin levels, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, immune thrombocytopenia, proteinuria, and hematuria. Signs of liver injury and hepatotoxicity have also been reported, especially at higher doses. Gold salts may also cause hypersensitivity. Parenterally, gold salts commonly cause cutaneous reactions including pruritus and dermatitis. Chrysiasis may also occur.
- Ridaura (auranofin) [package insert]. San Diego, CA: Prometheus Laboratories, Inc; 2011.
- LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-. Gold Preparations. [Updated 2017 Aug 2].
- Eisler R. Chrysotherapy: a synoptic review. Inflamm Res. 2003;52(12):487-501.
Anemia Hematologic
Orally or parenterally, gold salts may cause gold toxicity, with signs including immune thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, and aplastic anemia. Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold salt and may theoretically cause similar adverse effects.
- Ridaura (auranofin) [package insert]. San Diego, CA: Prometheus Laboratories, Inc; 2011.
Dermatitis Dermatologic
Parenterally, gold salts commonly cause cutaneous reactions including pruritus and dermatitis. Chrysiasis, which is an irreversible blue-gray discoloration of the skin, may also occur. Exposure to sunlight might worsen these reactions. Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold salt and may theoretically cause similar adverse effects.
- Ridaura (auranofin) [package insert]. San Diego, CA: Prometheus Laboratories, Inc; 2011.
Diarrhea Gastrointestinal
Orally, gold salts can cause stomatitis, which may be preceded by a metallic taste. Other adverse events including diarrhea, loose stools, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps may also occur. Ulcerative enterocolitis has also been reported, but this is rare. Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold salt and may theoretically cause similar adverse effects.
- Ridaura (auranofin) [package insert]. San Diego, CA: Prometheus Laboratories, Inc; 2011.
Nausea and vomiting Hepatic
Orally and parenterally, gold salts have been associated with slight elevations in serum aminotransferase levels. Parenterally, gold salts have also been associated with acute liver injury, although this is less common. Onset of injury seems to occur 1-8 weeks after starting therapy. Initial symptoms of liver injury include fever, rash, malaise, nausea, dark urine, and jaundice. Acute liver injury from gold therapy is typically associated with hypersensitivity. In rare cases, acute hepatocellular injury has been reported with high doses of gold salts. Hepatic adverse effects have not been reported for sodium tetrachloroaurate; however, sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold salt and may theoretically cause similar effects.
- LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-. Gold Preparations. [Updated 2017 Aug 2].
Nephrotic syndrome Renal
Orally and parenterally, gold salts may cause nephrotic syndrome with proteinuria and hematuria. These adverse effects are typically mild, but may become severe and chronic if treatment is not discontinued after onset of the reaction. Sodium tetrachloroaurate is a gold salt and may theoretically cause similar adverse effects.
- Ridaura (auranofin) [package insert]. San Diego, CA: Prometheus Laboratories, Inc; 2011.
Adverse-effects data: Natural Medicines, Therapeutic Research Center
Dosing
There is no established or safe human dose for sodium tetrachloroaurate, because it is not a dietary supplement or approved medicine. We cannot and will not provide an amount to take.
Do not consume this product. If you are considering any gold-containing health product, talk to a pharmacist or doctor first so they can check whether it is legitimate and safe.
Sodium Tetrachloroaurate & Pregnancy
Sodium Tetrachloroaurate & Breastfeeding
© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center
Pregnancy & lactation ratings: Natural Medicines, Therapeutic Research Center
References & further reading
The 3 references that drive our Sodium Tetrachloroaurate monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.
- Ridaura (auranofin) [package insert]. San Diego, CA: Prometheus Laboratories, Inc; 2011.
- LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-. Gold Preparations. [Updated 2017 Aug 2].
- Eisler R. Chrysotherapy: a synoptic review. Inflamm Res. 2003;52(12):487-501. PubMed
This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.
Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.
DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.
© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC
Brands that make products with Sodium Tetrachloroaurate
1 brand in our database make a supplement containing Sodium Tetrachloroaurate.
Supplement products with Sodium Tetrachloroaurate
1 product in our database contain Sodium Tetrachloroaurate. Open any to see its full ingredient list and every drug interaction we check.
Sodium Tetrachloroaurate: Common Questions
Does Sodium Tetrachloroaurate interact with prescription medications?
How are Sodium Tetrachloroaurate interactions rated?
Is it safe to take Sodium Tetrachloroaurate with my medications?
Where does this Sodium Tetrachloroaurate interaction information come from?
Is Sodium Tetrachloroaurate a dietary supplement?
Is it safe to take Sodium Tetrachloroaurate?
Is it the same as 'colloidal gold' supplements?
Can I take it during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
Products that contain Sodium Tetrachloroaurate
A rotating sample of real supplements in our database that list Sodium Tetrachloroaurate — open any to see its full ingredients and every drug interaction we check.
Have a question about Sodium Tetrachloroaurate?
Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.