ABSTRACT
Gout is a disease with elusive treatment options. Reduction of the size of l-alanine crystals as a model crystal for gouty tophi with the use of a monomode solid-state microwave was examined as a possible therapeutic aid. The effect of microwave heating on l-alanine crystals in the presence of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in solution and synovial fluid (SF) in a plastic pouch through a synthetic skin patch was investigated. In this regard, three experimental paradigms were employed: Paradigm 1 includes the effect of variable microwave power (5-10 W) and variable heating time (5-60 s) and Au NPs in water (20 nm size, volume of 10 µL) in a plastic pouch (1 × 2 cm2 in size). Paradigm 2 includes the effect of a variable volume of 20 nm Au NPs in a variable volume of SF up to 100 µL in a plastic pouch at a constant microwave power (10 W) for 30 s. Paradigm 3 includes the effect of constant microwave power (10 W) and microwave heating time (30 s), constant volume of Au NPs (100 µL), and variable size of Au NPs (20-200 nm) placed in a plastic pouch through a synthetic skin patch. In these experiments, an average of 60-100% reduction in the size of an l-alanine crystal (initial size = 450 µm) without damage to the synthetic skin or increasing the temperature of the samples beyond the physiological range was reported.
