DMSO

DMSO is a simple compound that has stimulated controversy in the scientific and popular literature due to its physiologic and pharmacologic properties and effects. It is an aprotic solvent with a strong affinity for water, and on exposure to air, pure DMSO is rapidly diluted 1. DMSO has been used in medicine since around 1963, when an Oregon Health & Science University Medical School team, headed by Stanley Jacob, discovered it could penetrate the skin and other membranes without damaging them and could carry other compounds into a biological system 5.

DMSO is predominantly used as a topical analgesic, a vehicle for topical application of pharmaceuticals, as an anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant 5. It has been used to treat various conditions, including tennis elbow and rotator cuff tendonitis, with beneficial effects assessed with respect to improvement in pain, tenderness or swelling, and increase in the range of motion 2. However, DMSO can cause intense skin reactions, rashes, and has an intrinsic oxidative effect when it breaks down 6.

The use of DMSO in medicine has been associated with some adverse effects, including systemic contact dermatitis medicamentosa occurring after intravesical treatment for interstitial cystitis 1. Additionally, DMSO has been linked to severe vasospastic angina with hemodynamic compromise related to the infusion of DMSO-cryopreserved autologous peripheral blood stem cells 3. However, DMSO is still widely used in clinical research and is part of many topical drugs that are used on a daily basis 5.

In cosmetic applications, DMSO has been used as a solvent for various ingredients, including magnesium L-pidolate, which has been shown to have unique effects when combined with DMSO, such as no visible skin irritation or redness 8. However, the use of DMSO in cosmetics is not without controversy, and it is essential to avoid using it in polluted environments or with other toxic substances 7.