X-Message-Number: 11301 Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 12:46:12 +0000 From: Damien Broderick <> Subject: Re: MSM I passed along Dr Ettinger's post on MSM to a medical friend. He comments: ============================== I didn't know much about DMSO, but I decided to look a little into it. MEDLINE has almost nothing on it, so I did a Web search. Oddly, the best page I found was a sports therapy page, which offered an opinion close to the way I see it (judging by the evidence available to me). It's at: http://www.cewl.com/cewl/cewlol/articles/80001.html I note with interest, your text from Dr Ettinger saying: >According to the authors, MSM is about as non-toxic as water, and is available >over the counter at health food stores. Which is interesting given that the Website above has the following information on side-effects: "With all of the possible benefits of DMSO, one would tend to believe that a new "wonder drug" has been created. Yet while there have been some positive results, there are several risks associate with DMSO use. "The most common complaint of DMSO usage is its potential ocular toxicity. In animals, the drug is said to damage the lens in a way that no other drug is capable of doing.(18) Because this has not yet been evident in humans researchers consider this toxicity as only a possible risk associated with application to humans. "Rubin wrote of DMSO's toxicity in humans, listing a number of adverse results.(19) First, he noted a state of hemolysis and tremor, possibly leading to a loss of consciousness, hypotensive conditions, and possible tachycardia. He also noted that along with hemolysis, there was local irritation and necrosis, all occurring rapidly. In animals alone, states of transient convulsion, dyspnea, pulmonary edema, and hemorrhaging were present. Finally, Rubin found that when applied topically on the skin, DMSO deprives the tissue of water, leading to erythema, edema, or scaling of the skin. "Some studies have found DMSO to bring about alterations of one's normal cardiac cycle.(5,7) Bradham and Sample believe this may be due to an increase in local tissue temperature following topical application.(20) Among the major side effects of DMSO are the following as compiled by DeMeersman:(8) "terrible oyster or garlic breath "possible nearsightedness "dyspnea secondary to an allergic reaction "skin irritation at the site of application, including itching, rashes, redness, stinging, burning or blistering" ================== Damien Broderick Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=11301