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enhance the effectiveness of other pharmacologic agents, serve as a diuretic, and act
as a muscle relaxant.
The first report on the use of dimethyl sulfoxide as a pharmacologic agent was
written in 1963 and published February 1, 1964. The first IND to study DMSO
clinically in the United States was submitted on October 25, 1963. Three NDA's on
DMSO were submitted to the FDA in 1965. All were turned down. A fourth NDA
was submitted in 1970. It was also turned down by the FDA.
Yet, the New York Times in a lead editorial on April 3, 1965, called DMSO "the
closest thing to a wonder drug produced in the 1960's.'
Several thousand scientific articles on DMSO have appeared in the world's litera-
ture. In our reference library at the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center,
we have a fairly complete bibliography which includes seven technical books on
dimethyl sulfoxide.
Four international symposia have been held on DMSO. The first of these was in
Berlin, Germany, in July, 1965. The second was under the auspices of the New York
Academy of Sciences in March of 1966, New York City, New York. The third was
sponsored by the University of Vienna, in Austria, November, 1966. The fourth was
again in New York, under the sponsorship of the New York Academy of Sciences in
January, 1974.
Of major importance is the fact that DMSO has been shown to be of value, not
only in diseases for which there is other known treatment, but in a number of
illnesses for which no other effective or low risk treatment is known, such as the
painful ulcers of the fingers in patients with scleroderma. In this disease the skin
becomes tight and the joints are prevented from moving. Microscopic sections of
skin from patients with scleroderma have been studied before and after treatment
of DMSO. These studies demonstrated definite improvement with DMSO therapy—
without DMSO, some of these patients would require amputations.
The value of DMSO in other illnesses for which effective pharmacologic treatment
does not presently exist, includes severe abacterial prostatitis, Dupuytren's contrac-
ture, subcutaneous scarring from cobalt irradiation, keloids, Peyronie's disease and
potentially in otherwise "irreversible" injury to the brain and spinal cord.
A broader spectrum of primary pharmacology and potential benefit, both actual
and potential, has been described in the scientific literature for DMSO than for any
other substance with which I am familiar. No attempt will be made at this point to
record the long list of entities for which benefit from DMSO has already been
responsibly reported in the literature. In my opinion, DMSO is the treatment of
choice for severe acute musculoskeletal trauma (such as strains and sprains) and
acute and chronic bursitis.
Dimethyl sulfoxide is a useful adjunct in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,
degenerative arthritis and gouty arthritis. It primarily will relieve pain, but will
also reduce inflammation and increase joint mobility. Due to its effectiveness in the
treatment of arthritis, Americans by the thousands are flocking to nations such as
Mexico to receive DMSO. In Mexico they are charged seven to eight hundred dollars
for three days of treatment. One entrepreneur in this "South of the Border" country
presumably treated with DMSO thirty-thousand Americans last year for arthritis
and grossed over twenty million dollars.
The effectiveness of DMSO has been demonstrated by comparative studies, by
"double blind" studies, and by the clinical impression type of evaluations in man.
Dr. J. Harold Brown, formerly President of the Aerospace Medical Association,
included in his "double blind" report the following statement:
"I am convinced that topical application of DMSO in the treatment of acute
musculoskeletal conditions is a striking and significant therapeutic contribution.
During the period of time I conducted clinical investigation with this medication, I
practically discarded physical therapy as treatment for musculoskeletal problems
because the rehabilitation of my patients was so prompt with DMSO. There was
little or no necessity to prescribe narcotics and tranquilizers since pain was prompt-
ly mitigated following topical application of DMSO."
The further usefulness of DMSO has been shown by the fact that it is now
prescriptive in the United States for acute musculoskeletal problems in small and
large animals, approved by the Veterinary Division of the Food and Drug Adminis-
tration in 1970.
An important question about any drug is toxicity. There is no such thing as a
non-toxic drug. DMSO has its side effects. The major side effect of DMSO is the
possibility of an occasional patients being hyper-sensitive.
I believe there are more data on animal toxicology regarding DMSO than have
ever existed for any other experimental drug. I have not had experience with any
drug in medicine which I consider to be safer. In my estimation there are more data
on human toxicology of DMSO than have ever been obtained for any other experi-
