Background: Regarding to the applications of Gold nanoparticles in the medical and biological fields, the study on its toxic effects on organisms is essential.

Materials and Methods: In this study, the effect of intra-peritoneal injection of Gold nanoparticles (10nm, 100ppm concentration) on changes in the renal parameters (urea, uric acid and creatinine) at different times after treatment (10, 20, 30 and 40 days) in mice were studied.

Results: Results of the study showed that the average amount of urea and uric acid significantly increased after 20 days of treatment compared to the other groups (P<0.01), while 40 days after the injection all the changes went back to normal. The average weight of the mice and the histological structure of the kidney did not show any abnormality as compared to the control group.

Conclusion: It seems that the application of Gold nanoparticles in low concentrations (100 ppm) in biological system has no stable and long-term toxic effect on the animal body and probably the reticuloendothelial system excretes the nanoparticles.

Background: In recent years the emergence of resistance to opportunistic fungi (e.g. Candida albicans) has dramatically increased worldwide. The toxicity of antibacterial drugs and the occurrence of resistance to fungi and the resultant drug interactions make it necessary to assess new drugs. The aim of this study was to compare the antifungal effects of gold and silver nanoparticles on patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Materials and Methods: In order to identify the samples, the conventional mycological methods (morphology on corn meal/chrome agar and germ tube production) were utilized. To evaluate the antifungal effects of spherical silver and gold nanoparticles the diameter of inhibitory zone was measured using disk diffusion method. In addition, the minimum fungicidal concentration (MIC) and Minimum inhibitory concentration (MFC) of samples were determined by microdilution method.

Results: Among the total identified isolates of Candida albicans (C. albicans), 58 samples were inhibited using spherical silver and gold nanoparticles with 10 nm diameter. The inhibitory zone diameter was between 0-19 mm. The MIC and MFC for silver and gold nanoparticles were 21.31±11.40; 32.15±25.77 ppm and 16.68±9.37; 7.93±4.72 ppm, respectively.

Conclusion: The results of the present investigation showed that spherical gold and silver nanoparticles with 10 nm diameter have some antifungal effects against the Candida albicans. Probably in future the silver and gold nanoparticles have the potential of treating the vulvovaginal candidiasis.