Modern research, however, indicates that gold does have some well-founded medical uses. For instance, gold salts have been shown to palliate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. When patients receive regular injections of gold, it begins to accumulate in their muscles; this reduces joint inflammation, relieving pain and preventing further damage. Researchers are also actively investigating the ability of gold nanoparticles to target cancer cells, which could help doctors identify the disease and deliver medication more efficiently. Such findings confirm that gold is, as people have believed for thousands of years, rich in medical potential.
What is the meaning of palliate as used in the passage?