Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO): a solvent that may solve selected cutaneous clinical challenges

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a clear, odorless liquid, inexpensively produced as a by-product of the wood pulp industry. DMSO's unique chemical properties allow for its broad applications in a wide variety of cutaneous challenges. Widely available in the USA as a solvent, DMSO is FDA-approved only for the treatment of interstitial cystitis and for use as a preservative for organ transplant. DMSO readily penetrates and diffuses through biological membranes. At low concentrations, DMSO exhibits anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, vasodilator, anti-platelet aggregation, radio-protective, and muscle-relaxing properties. DMSO is also a vigorous scavenger of hydroxyl free radicals, which may explain its observed beneficial effects on skin rejuvenation and recovery from thermal injury. DMSO has a relatively low level of toxicity. DMSO has shown promise in the off-label treatment of basal cell carcinoma, pressure ulcers, scleroderma, herpes simplex, cutaneous fungal infections, and amyloidosis. The potential of DMSO to serve as an independent or adjuvant topical treatment for these conditions is explored in this review.