Chronic　inflammation　and　progressive　bone　damage　in　joints　are　two　main　pathological　features　of　rheumatoid　arthritis　(RA).　We　have　synthesized　a　gold　cluster　with　glutathione　(Au(29)SG(27))　(named　GA)　that　can　effectively　suppress　both　inflammation　and　bone　damage　in　collagen-induced　arthritis　(CIA)　in　rats.　Thus,　gold　clusters　showed　great　potential　for　the　therapy　of　RA.　However,　the　optimal　therapeutic　dose　remaining　has　to　be　determined.　Therapeutic　effect　and　safety　are　largely　relying　on　drug　dosage.　Specifying　the　dose-dependent　effects　of　GA　on　both　therapy　and　biosafety　can　facilitate　its　clinical　transformation　research.　Therefore,　in　this　study,　we　comprehensively　evaluated　the　dose-dependent　efficacy　of　GA　on　the　30-day　toxicity　and　RA　treatment　in　rats.　Results　showed　that　continuous　intraperitoneal　injection　of　GA　at　a　dose　of　15　mg/kg　(Au　content)　for　30　days　resulted　in　slight　hematological　abnormalities　and　increases　on　organ　coefficients　of　kidney　and　adrenal　gland,　while　10　mg　Au/kg　did　not　cause　any　obvious　toxicity　and　side　effects.　In　the　treatment　of　CIA　rats,　only　when　the　dose　of　GA　reached　5　mg　Au/kg,　the　symptoms　of　RA　could　be　significantly　improved.　With　regard　to　the　histopathological　analysis,　although　a　lower　dose　of　GA　can　suppress　inflammation　and　bone　damage　to　some　extent,　only　the　5　mg　Au/kg　treatment　could　restore　them　to　a　state　close　to　the　normal　control　group.　Therefore,　we　infer　that　5　mg　Au/kg　is　the　optimal　dose　of　GA　for　RA　therapy　in　rats,　which　provides　a　theoretical　basis　for　further　preclinical　research.