DMSO
Not long ago there appeared on the front page of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner a photograph showing an Anchorage man standing on a Fairbanks street beside a large, crudely lettered sign saying "DMSO sold here." The accompanying story indicated the man was doing a brisk business, selling 8-ounce bottles for $24 each--purportedly for use as an industrial solvent.
DMSO, is the commonly-used name for dimethyl sulfoxide, a chemical in use as an industrial solvent for over twenty years. In 1964, DMSO was alleged to have therapeutic value for treating arthritis and diseases or conditions affecting muscles and bones and even mental disorders. The Food and Drug Administration authorized clinical tests of DMSO but studies on animals in 1965 indicated the possibility of nasty side effects such as eye damage, headaches, nausea and skin rash.
Controversy has surrounded the use of DMSO as a drug ever since. Finally in 1978, drug-quality DMSO was allowed as a prescription treatment for interstitial cystitis (an inflammation of the bladder), but was recommended only when all else failed. Whether or not DMSO is effective for this or any other drug purposes seems to be uncertain.
DMSO is available on a prescription basis in some countries of Europe and South America. Its restricted use has been approved by the states of Florida and Oregon, but even there, only for restricted clinical purposes. Yet, rigorous clinical testing is needed to prove the drug's usefulness, if any, and the full extent to which its side effects might be permanently damaging. Temporary side effects include headache, nausea, diarrhea and disturbance of color vision.
Perhaps the biggest danger with DMSO is that some people who think it is useful for self-treatment of sprains, arthritis and other problems may be willing to apply industrial grade or veterinary grade DMSO to their bodies, drink it or even inject it directly into their bloodstreams. Because DMSO is such a good solvent and is able to carry a wide spectrum of dissolved impurities through cell walls, severe consequences could result if the impure industrial or veterinary grades of DMSO are used on humans.
Dr. James R. Crook, professor of medicine at the University of Alaska and a specialist in human diseases, expresses the fear that users of DMSO may be unaware of how fast the solvent and materials dissolved in it can penetrate the skin and other parts of the body. Because of the fast action, a substance which by itself might have limited or no effect could cause serious damage or death if accidentally or intentionally applied to the body in a DMSO solution.
Evidently, one reason for the prolonged controversy over DMSO is that it is not patentable as a drug. Therefore, there is little motive for any drug manufacturer to undertake the prolonged and expensive clinical testing necessary to clearly demonstrate whatever benefits and hazards DMSO has, and to obtain Food and Drug Administration approval for its use.
