DMSO: THE MIRACLE SOLVENT WITH MULTIPLE USES

Dimethyl Sulfoxide or DMSO is a byproduct of the wood pulp industry, from the Kraft process, which turns wood into wood pulp. It is an amazing solvent, able to dissolve a wide variety of chemicals, hence its widespread uses in many industries and treatments.

A solvent is something that other chemicals or solutes dissolve in. The most famous and useful solvent is water.

Of note is the fact that DMSO was the first non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug discovered since aspirin and predates all the current NSAID’s and Cox-2 anti-inflammatory drugs currently on the market.

The irony is that it has fewer side effects than any of the drugs developed by pharmaceutical companies interested in finding a DMSO substitute they could patent. The unique structure of DMSO, having one hydrophilic (water loving) group and two hydrophobic (water repelling) groups, imparts to it the ability to dissolve in both water and fats. Hence, its ability to act as a solvent for such an incredible variety of chemicals.

It also imparts to DMSO the ability to cross all the biological membranes of the body, from the skin, across tissues, into the blood, for distribution throughout the body.

In the 1960s, workers in that industry noted that when DMSO was inadvertently spilled on their hands, miraculously their arthritis disappeared.

A medical researcher named Dr. Stanley Jacob, in 1961, was studying different materials to help preserve organs for transplantation. He soon noted that DMSO penetrated the skin quickly, without damaging it. His interest was piqued, and this began a lifelong study of the medicinal effects of DMSO.

Dr. Jacobs feels that DMSO is a square peg looking for a round hole, since it is not a silver bullet for a single disease, but rather like aspirin, it has multiple uses. In the case of DMSO, it appears to have many medical applications, and worldwide is used to treat many medical conditions.

Another problem from the point of view of the pharmaceutical companies was that it cannot be patented, hence, the millions of dollars needed for studies for FDA approval, was viewed as an insurmountable barrier to its clinical investigation.

The television show 60 Minutes featured DMSO during a show in the 1980s, helping to introduce it to the American public. Word soon got out, and within a few short years it was widely used by the alternative medicine community.

DMSO CHEMICAL STRUCTURE

The FDA slammed the breaks on human use of DMSO when reports surfaced that prolonged, high dose use in some animals led to some lens problems. Fearing a similar reaction in humans, the FDA shut it down for many decades.

It is noteworthy that the doses used in these lab animals were 50 to 100 times greater than human dosing. Even at these incredibly high doses the lens changes were minimal. Later research has shown that this is not a problem at all for humans and other primates.

In the 1960s studies performed by Merck on over 17,000 human cases, Syntex on over 7,000, and Squib on over 3,000, failed to demonstrate any toxicity at all in humans. The conclusions from these studies are unequivocally that there is no eye damage in humans.

The lens changes were on a microscopic and chemical level and of no clinical significance in the animals affected, and it is very likely a minor biochemical species-specific interaction, not affecting humans.

Medical and scientific researchers have extensively studied DMSO, and there are currently over 40,000 research papers studying it. It has repeatedly been proven to be a safe, amazing solvent, with countless industrial and medical applications.

In 1971, the FDA was under so much pressure to reconsider the medicinal uses of DMSO, that it commissioned the National Academy of Sciences to examine the research of medical studies done worldwide. They concluded that DMSO was safe and effective, and held great promise moving forward. The FDA ignored their findings.

DMSO has been proven to be a very potent scavenger of Free Radicals that do so much injury to our bodies. DMSO soaks up these free radicals and neutralizes them, protecting the integrity of the tissues and organs being attacked.

DMSO has gained wide recognition among veterinarians, has been approved for use in animals since the 1970s, and is used for many mostly musculoskeletal conditions. Apparently, it is not toxic at all for animals.

All human drugs are tested on animals for toxicity, yet the powers that be in many states have banned DMSO for human use, with no apparent justification.

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but my guess would be that the powerful pharmaceutical lobby might have spread enough money around state capitals to make this happen. But who knows for sure?

A physician named Dr. Morton Walker did an in-depth study of DMSO and all its uses in medical research, alternative medicine, and chemical industries. He wrote an excellent book on the subject named DMSO Nature’s Healer.

In the book he outlines the amazingly wide range of pharmacological and medicinal applications of DMSO, more than any other single chemical. Here are a few examples:

1. Bacteriostatic, fungistatic, and virostatic; static in medicine means it inhibits the growth of something, in this case bacteria, fungi, and viruses. When we use the suffix cidal, such as virocidal, it means it kills it outright. (I like to throw in those teaching moments for my readers).

2. Transdermal chemical: meaning it carries itself and whatever is dissolved into it across the skin.

3. Decreases platelet aggregation and clot formation in blood vessels.

4. It affects cardiac contractility and reduces the workload on the heart.

5. Tranquilizing effect when simply rubbed into the skin.

6. Immune System stimulation increases interferon production.

7. Potent diuretic; especially when given intravenously (by IV).

8. Aids in wound healing

9. Topical analgesic (pain killer)

10. Potent anti-inflammatory, hence, its use in arthritis and painful joints.

11. Strong antioxidant

We physicians in the integrative medical community (the combination of alternative and traditional medicine), have used it extensively as an analgesic (pain killer) when applied to any area of the body, including the head. It works very well to abort a headache by rubbing it into the scalp over the painful area.

It works by anesthetizing the peripheral nerve C fibers, easing pain. For the same reason it also works to help reduce the pain of burns, cuts, and sprains. After its application, besides reducing pain significantly, it also reduced soft tissue swelling.

Unlike many solvents, DMSO does not damage the skin or other tissues it is crossing and is able to cross the blood brain barrier and enter the brain. That single attribute, of not damaging any normal tissues, makes it very useful medically.

Kinky fact: DMSO will not only cross the skin but is able to also cross fingernails and toenails. This makes it useful for carrying medicine such as antifungal agents across the nails surface, making topical treatments effective for the first time.

DMSO or Dimethyl Sulfoxide has, as the name implies, a sulfide group as part of its chemical formula. This unfortunately imparts an odor to it that is like garlic. There are formulations of it available online on Amazon that are purported to be odor free.

Since it is such a strong solvent, it crosses the skin easily and enters your bloodstream, evidenced by a garlic taste in your mouth a few minutes after applying it. I love garlic in my food, but I must admit, I do not like smelling like it.

That is one of its only drawbacks, the other being, if you are a redhead or blonde, with blue eyes, you might have a little skin irritation from DMSO. It leaves a mild redness to the area where it was applied. This is not universal to blondes or redheads, but does occur, even though it is not injuring the skin.

The way around that if you find yourself with some skin irritation is to dilute it by half, and that should prevent any further irritation. The other thing you can do is to add some aloe vera gel (99 percent gel) to your mix or apply it afterwards.

The effect of DMSO on skin was not lost on Dr. Howard Scherbel of the Cleveland Clinic who used it in cases of Scleroderma that failed all other conventional treatments. He had good to excellent results in 26 of the 42 patients he treated.

Speaking of redheads, what a misnomer. Is it just me, or has anyone noticed that there are no people with red hair, they all have orange hair. Why don’t we call them orange-heads? However, apparently it only bothers me. However once again, I digress.

There are other reported side effects of DMSO, and all of these are directly related to the dose used. The greater the dose, the more chance of a side effect, which being said, they are quite unusual and all of them are temporary and minor. The reported side effects are:
Dizziness, drop in blood pressure, rash, headache, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, lowered heart rate, itching, and stomachache.

As far as drug interactions, you should exhibit caution when using steroids, blood thinners, and sedatives.

One other fact that I should mention is that it has never been officially tested on pregnant women or children. I would not use it if you were pregnant, due to my school of thought that a pregnant woman should be exposed to the least foreign chemicals as possible. Taking a chance with a developing child is just not worth the risk.

The FDA has approved DMSO for use in patients with interstitial cystitis. That is a disease of the bladder and urinary system, which is quite painful and is difficult to treat with traditional medicines, for which there is no current method to cure it.

DMSO is administered directly into the bladder via a catheter as a bladder wash. Studies have shown that it markedly diminishes the pain, relaxes the bladder, and increases its capacity to hold urine.

Recently, DMSO is being studied for its possible anti-cancer activity. Those studies remain in progress and have not drawn any conclusions yet.

HOW THE MEDICAL UNDERGROUND UTILIZES DMSO

DMSO is available as a liquid that other substances can be dissolved into and applied to the skin directly as a transdermal (skin crossing) lotion.

DMSO is also available in a gel formulation, and online there are several different combination products available. It can also be administered intravenously, or instilled via a catheter directly into the bladder, for example in cases of interstitial cystitis.

Some of the available DMSO products on Amazon have it combined with aloe vera gel, frankincense (also known as Boswellia) which works well for arthritis, hemp oil, magnesium, hyaluronic acid (which helps hydrate skin and keep it supple), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), zinc, olive leaf, and various other vitamins such as B vitamins and vitamin D.

Integrative physicians as always are on the cutting edge of using DMSO with their patients, many of whom combine it with other topical treatments to help facilitate its skin penetration.

Kinky fact about DMSO: Studies on the ability of DMSO to penetrate the skin show differences based on the strength of the solution. A 70-90 percent solution has been shown to be the sweet spot and is able to cross a barrier such as the skin with the greatest ease.

Oddly enough, greater than 90 percent the performance drops off. Lower strengths such as 15 percent can cross other membrane barriers such as the bladder wall. As an analgesic (pain killer), DMSO works best at a 70 percent concentration (mixed with 30 percent water).

Studies have demonstrated DMSO’s ability to ferry different medications across the skin, such as morphine, steroids (such as prednisone) and penicillin. It was not as efficient in carrying insulin across the skin.

I like using it in combination with diclofenac (trade name Voltaren) gel and direct my patients to apply it topically to their painful ligaments, and joints. This has proven to be very effective at relieving pain and inflammation.

Always keep in mind if you have any side effects, which is not very common, that it is dose dependent. Meaning, the more of it you apply, and the less diluted it is, the greater the chance of having a mild skin reaction or other systemic symptoms such as nausea. Although, they are all very uncommon.

Mixing DMSO with an essential oil such as Boswellia or Frankincense sometimes works to eliminate its garlic smell. Others have reported mixing it with organic raw honey, or magnesium chloride solution in order to eliminate any odor.

To use DMSO for pain relief, you need to:

1. Clean the affected area thoroughly with soap and water. This is to ensure that nothing besides the DMSO is transported across your skin.

2. Dilute the DMSO liquid with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or olive oil, if desired. (if you want to dilute it)

3. Apply the DMSO liquid to the affected area using your hands, a cotton ball, a clean paintbrush, or a spray top.

4. Cover the area with a clean cloth or bandage to prevent the DMSO liquid from evaporating too quickly.

5. Repeat the application two to three times per day, or as many times as needed, as per your personal preference. Sometimes, in acutely painful conditions, it can be used up to six times daily.

6. When applying it to your knee, for example, extend the area you are treating to six inches above and below your knee, for maximum effectiveness.

In one of my earlier Substack posts on the use of topical vitamin C for skin lesions I mentioned combining it with super saturated vitamin C to help carry the vitamin C deeply into the skin to help potentiate its wonderful effects. In this case, there is no magic formula. I would make a 50 percent solution by mixing equal parts of 99 percent pure DMSO with the super saturated vitamin C solution.

The Medical Underground has embraced the use of DMSO for multiple medical conditions. Published articles on DMSO have shown benefit in the following entities:

• Interstitial Cystitis

• Scleroderma

• Raynaud's Phenomenon

• Lupus

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Degenerative Arthritis

• Ulcerative Colitis

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

• Diabetic Ulcerations

• Burns

• Scar Tissue

• Adjunct in Plastic Surgery

DMSO is widely used in over 125 countries, especially Russia, where it is in widespread use, especially for arthritic patients and has been used safely since the 1970s. It is also widely used in Japan. Its use in the United States has been thwarted by bureaucratic, as well as economic interests by parties that have competing products.

DMSO has extremely low toxicity, and very few side effects, and there has never been a single death attributed to its use, among the hundreds of millions of patients who have used it worldwide.

THE MOST CURRENT USES OF DMSO BY THE MEDICAL UNDERGROUND

DMSO is also being studied for cases of toxic shock, cancer, sepsis (blood poisoning), and even in radiation sickness. Radiation exposure causes breaks in the double strands of our DNA.

DMSO has been shown to have the ability to repair breaks in the entire double strand of DNA. That is very significant, especially since we are on the brink of WWIII.

You might want to consider stockpiling some potassium iodide, activated charcoal, and DMSO. They are all readily available, inexpensive, and might very well save your life and your family members.

DMSO is currently being investigated in patients with acute strokes, spinal cord, and brain injuries. In ongoing animal studies, it has been shown to be effective in preventing indefinite paralysis from those types of injuries.

DMSO has been used intravenously to help mitigate brain swelling and increased intracranial pressures associated with closed head injuries and has shown to help reduce swelling and intracranial pressure.

Hopefully, in the near future, it will get FDA approval for these unfortunate patients, especially the large number of our veterans who have sustained traumatic head and spinal cord injuries.

The Medical Underground is also using DMSO to treat the painful lesions of shingles (herpes zoster). The protocol for this is to make sure you start it within 48 hours of the lesions appearing. You will need to reapply it every four hours for at least four days.

Recently DMSO has been used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. It has helped in dissolving the amyloid proteins that build up in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients.

DMSO is also being investigated as a treatment for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). In animal studies it has been shown to slow the progression of atherosclerosis by decreasing the deposition of cholesterol in the arterial walls.

How long should you use DMSO for?
That depends, usually acute injuries like a sports related injury will only take about three weeks, and then you should be healed enough. However, nothing is written in stone. See how it goes. If you have reached maximum improvement, stop it and see how it goes. For chronic conditions, patients have used DMSO for extended periods with little or no side effects. In a chronic painful injury, it may take several months before you notice significant improvement.

What type of containers should you store your DMSO in?

These containers are safe to use with Dimethyl Sulfoxide:

• Glass containers

• Glass jars

• Stainless steel

• Wooden containers

• Ceramic

• Rigid plastic in the form of spray bottles. Rigid plastic is a hard plastic that exhibits no elastic deformation.

I try to always buy my DMSO in a glass bottle, just to ensure that there is no interaction between the DMSO and the plastic container.

The website Organicbiomama.com has done a very good job of listing the various ways DMSO can be combined with other medicinals, with mixing instructions etc. Here is some of their recommendations:
DMSO Recipes for Pain Management

1. Muscle pain relief. Mix 1 oz of Dimethyl Sulfoxide and about 3 oz of aloe vera or jojoba oil in a spray bottle. Add a couple of drops of organic peppermint essential oil and menthol. Spray on stiff muscles for instant relief. Make sure your skin is clean before spraying.

2. Pain relief (joint pain, arthritis, strains, and others). Mix organic Castor oil with Dimethyl Sulfoxide in 1:1 ratio. Make sure that hands and the skin are clean before applying the mixture. Apply a few times a week or as needed.

3. Spinal Stenosis Pain Relief. Mix Dimethyl Sulfoxide with distilled water in a 2:1 ratio. Make sure that hands and the skin are clean before applying the mixture. Apply to the painful area with a clean cotton cloth. Rub for 5 minutes, re-wet the cloth 2-3 times with the solution. It may itch for 3-5 minutes.

4. Intense headache. Apply to clean forehead and temples for fast relief. Use diluted (%30-%50 DMSO mixed with 70%-%50 distilled water). Use clean fingers to apply. Due to Ogden (1967) a 90% solution is more effective, which may give a burning sensation for several minutes.

5. Hemorrhoids. Apply a 70% solution to the affected area for quick pain relief.

6. Bee/wasp stings. Immediately apply to the affected area to stop the pain.

7. Broken Toe. Immediately apply Dimethyl Sulfoxide and do so every hour. Mix DMSO with magnesium oil and apply that too.

8. Pain management mixture. 50% DMSO solution mixed with 50% Arnica Montana gel with the addition of some aloe vera and coconut oil to be highly effective in almost instantly alleviating pain from sore muscles from over-exercising or bringing about instant relief from joint, back, or arthritic pain or discomfort.

9. Knee pain. Rub a drop or 2 of Peppermint Essential Oil on the knee, followed by rubbing some 100% DMSO gel, followed by rubbing Emu Oil. The combination is FANTASTIC!!!!! Emu oil is one of the only agents to penetrate all layers of the skin like DMSO does. The Peppermint Essential Oil has a cooling effect, and the smell is pure bliss.

DMSO Recipes for Skin conditions

1. Antibiotics for cuts and scrapes. Mix Dimethyl Sulfoxide with Iodine or Iodide in a 1:1 ratio.

2. Acne treatment. Mix Dimethyl Sulfoxide with Aloe vera juice (or distilled water) in a 7:3 ratio. Use as a spot treatment.

3. Bruises and swelling. Apply diluted (or 90%) Dimethyl Sulfoxide to the affected area quickly and the swelling goes down in minutes and may help with bruising in a couple of days (or even overnight). Apply 2-4 times a day.

4. Poison Ivy blisters. Apply diluted Dimethyl Sulfoxide on the affected area. Most of the blisters are gone in a few days (or overnight).

5. Burns. Apply a %50-%100 solution quickly to the affected area to ease the pain and diminish scarring.

6. Toenail fungus. Use it with pure tea tree oil.

7. Raised scar. Use %50-%80 diluted Dimethyl Sulfoxide 2-3 times a day.

8. Inflamed lymph node. Apply 50% diluted solution.

9. Varicose veins. Apply the diluted solution to the affected area. Make sure the skin is clean.

10. Skin allergies, Insect bites, Poison Ivy-Sumac-Oak. Oral dose: 0.10 ml per kg (if serious, up to 1.0 ml/kg). Additional therapy: Vitamin A, E, Omega-3 – mix with topical mixture at least 24 hours after starting oral therapy. (Source: Dr. Harlow)

11. Skin infections (bacterial and fungal). Topical mixture: DMSO + Colloidal silver (50:50) every 6-8 hours. Oral dose: 0.10 ml of DMSO+Colloidal silver (50:50) per kilogram (if serious up to 1.0 ml/kg). Additional therapy: Mix Vitamin A, E, L-lysine, Omega-3 with topical mixture, at least 24 hours after starting oral therapy. (Source: Dr. Harlow)

12. Trauma (to prevent bruising, swelling, stops pain). Topical mixture: 10% alpha-tocopherol acetate (Vit E) & 90% DMSO applied topically EVERY 8-12 HOURS. Oral dose: 0.10 ml of DMSO+Colloidal silver (50:50) per kilogram (if serious up to 1.0 ml/kg). Adjunct therapy: Take Vitamin A, E, Omega-3 orally. Always use Colloidal silver with penetrating wounds, see 13.

13. Penetrating Wounds. According to Dr. Harlow, Colloidal silver is very effective at killing Clostridium spores and any other bacteria that might get carried into the wound. He suggests applying colloidal silver mixed 50-50 with DMSO to the wound every 6-12 hours and taking a 50-50 CS/DMSO orally at approximately 1 mL per kilogram or .5 ML per pound every 6-12 hours (use more frequently with more severe wounds).

14. Burns, including sunburn (helps prevent blisters, pain, and skin death). Topical mixture: 10% alpha-tocopherol acetate (Vit E), 30% CS & 60% DMSO applied topically EVERY 4-12 HOURS DEPENDING ON BURN SEVERITY. Oral dose: 0.10 ml of DMSO+Colloidal silver (50:50) per kilogram (if serious up to 1.0 ml/kg). Adjunct therapy: Vitamin A, E, Colloidal Silver, and Omega-3 can make up to 40%of the topical mixture. (Source: Dr. Harlow)

15. CALCINOSIS CUTIS. Topical: 70% cream every 8-24 hours. Oral dose: 0.10 ml of DMSO+Colloidal silver (50:50) per kilogram (if serious up to 1.0 ml/kg). Adjunct therapy: 30% of the topical cream can be a combination of Vitamin A, E, Colloidal silver, and Omega-3. (Source: Dr. Harlow)

16. Decubital Ulcers, Pressure sores, Diabetic ulcers. Topical: 70% cream every 8-12 hours. 30% of the topical cream can be a combination of Vitamin A, E, Colloidal silver, and Omega-3; mix with topical mixture at least 24 hours after starting oral therapy. (OR: 70% DMSO + 25% Colloidal silver + 5% vitamin E). The oral dose (can be helpful if ulcers are deep, otherwise not necessary): 0.10 ml of DMSO+Colloidal silver (50:50) per kilogram (if serious up to 1.0 ml/kg). (Source: Dr. Harlow)

17. Severe skin necrosis caused by various venoms, or other severe ulceration and tissue breakdown. Topical mixture: 10% alpha-tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E), 40% Colloidal Silver & 80% DMSO applied topically every 6-12 hours. Oral dose: 0.10 ml of DMSO+Colloidal silver (50:50) per kilogram (if serious up to 1.0 ml/kg), with 1 gram L-lysine every 8-12 hours. Take vitamin A, E, Omega-3 orally. According to Dr. Harlow, this treatment is very effective, but again please do your own research.

18. Herpes (HSV), Shingles. Topical mixture: 10% alpha-tocopherol acetate (Vit E) & 90% DMSO applied topically every 8-12 hours. Oral dose: 0.10 ml of DMSO+Colloidal silver (50:50) per kilogram (if serious up to 1.0 ml/kg). Also, take 1 gram of L-lysine tablet every 6-8 hours if shingles or human papillomavirus. (Source: Dr. Harlow)

19. Keloid scars, raised scars. Applied topically and repeatedly, DMSO will flatten the raised scars.

20. Electrical burn. Immediately soak the finger or affected area in full-strength DMSO solution for 20 minutes. Immediate relief.

21. Severe varicose veins. Spray DMSO for at least 7 days to reduce swelling and pain.

As you can readily see from this article, DMSO has numerous uses and if you decide it is for you, then I would keep an ample supply of it among your medical supplies. It is readily available online, many retail stores including Tractor Supply, and of course Amazon.

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Until we meet again next week, may God Bless You and Your Family, and the United States of America. And remember, for those who believe in Our Lord, Miracle Shall Follow Miracle, and Wonders Shall Never Cease.

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