DMSO Adverse Reactions and Side Effects
DMSO is generally safe and non-toxic, but it can cause side effects and adverse reactions when combined with other medications.DMSO is currently available over-the-counter which has made it possible for people to use this drug for self-treatment at home. So while conventional medicine doctors rarely make use of DMSO to improve patient outcomes, the self-doctoring movement has made it possible for patients to use DMSO at home to treat diseases, disorders, and injuries. But DMSO must still be used with caution if you’re working with it at home. For this reason, we’re going to discuss adverse reactions and side effects that have been reported in the scientific literature to arm people who wish to use DMSO with information to protect themselves from harm. Be aware, however, that often, DMSO side effects often involve DMSO along with another medicine, especially stem cells. Most people who use DMSO by itself will experience only mild, transient side effects that clear up within minutes or hours.
Allergic reactions to DMSO administered along with stem cells or other medications can include anaphylaxis. The anaphylaxis reaction that occurs in DMSO-stem cell combinations is usually mild to moderate and rarely life-threatening. When anaphylaxis reactions occur, they often take shape within a few hours of a DMSO infusion. Again, anaphylaxis usually only occurs when DMSO is administered with stem cells, platelets, or red blood cells that have been cryopreserved in DMSO.
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DMSO Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
The most common DMSO side effects that have been reported include gastrointestinal and skin reactions. Most adverse reactions are transient and mild and require no intervention.Higher doses of DMSO with stem cells are most likely to produce an adverse reaction.
In small to moderate doses, DMSO administered by itself is usually safe when given orally. As we’ve discussed in other articles, DMSO should be used with care at a very low dose in the ears (0.1-0.25% concentration) to prevent harm to the hair cells of the inner ear. When doing self-treatment at home, administration of DMSO as a stand-alone medicine rarely causes severe side effects.
DMSO is a transparent, colorless liquid that is rapidly absorbed by human tissues. It can be administered topically or orally. In either case, human tissues rapidly absorb DMSO along with other substances dissolved within the DMSO. Once ingested or absorbed, DMSO is excreted primarily through the kidneys, but also through the lungs and the liver. DMSO, in fact, can help certain medicines reach the kidneys, liver, and the lungs because of its passage through these organs.
DMSO is metabolized into dimethyl sulfide, which is what causes people to smell like garlic or oysters after they are given this medicine. The dimethyl sulfide is excreted through the lungs. As a side effect, the odor caused by DMSO sometimes deters patients from working with it.
DMSO is used as a cryoprotectant because it reduces cellular dehydration and osmotic stress in stem cells which makes it possible to store them safely for several years.
DMSO Allergic Reaction Symptoms
DMSO can induce histamine release and allergic reaction. Some people experience the following symptoms of histamine release when they receive DMSO:
- Shortness of breath / dyspnea
- Bronchospasm
- Cardiovascular reactions
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal cramping
- Skin flushing
- Rash
One study showed that 63 out of 144 patients experienced an allergic reaction to DMSO when DMSO was administered with stem cells. Another study showed that flushing as an allergic reaction only occurred when DMSO was given intravenously in large doses. Allergic reaction may also occur as a result of medications or substances that are administered along with DMSO (for example, stem cells).
Allergic reactions typically occur within just a few hours after administration of DMSO. Scientists believe that the reaction occurs as a result of a vagus nerve response that happens with intravenous infusion of a cold liquid. For people who are administering DMSO orally or topically, it is unlikely that this vagal response would occur.
DMSO Gastrointestinal Side Effects
The most commonly reported adverse reaction with DMSO is nausea and vomiting. Topical administration of DMSO is less likely to cause nausea or vomiting than intravenous administration at high doses. The incidence of nausea is between 2-14% with intravenous administration, however, some studies have noted that nausea may be caused by gastrointestinal mucosal damage caused by high doses of DMSO given intravenously. In most studies gastrointestinal effects were mild and transient and only lasted a few minutes to a couple of hours. High doses of DMSO are more likely to produce gastrointestinal adverse effects than low to moderate doses.Respiratory and Cardiovascular Side Effects
Patients who developed severe bradycardia (which is a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute) in response to treatment with DMSO, were given atropine to increase heart rate. Blood pressure changes are usually transient when they occur after DMSO administration and most of the time blood pressure changes do not require any kind of intervention.In one study, patients lost consciousness, developed hypotension, shortness of breath, transient shock, and developed cyanosis after being given a stem cell transfusion with DMSO. These patients recovered quickly though and did not require any additional therapy to overcome these side effects.
The following cardiovascular side effects have been reported with DMSO use:
- Low blood pressure / hypotension
- High blood pressure / hypertension
- Slowed heart rate / Bradycardia (less than 60 beats per minute)
- Increased heart rate / Tachycardia
- Ventricular extrasystole
- Asystole
- Left cardiac insufficiency
- Chest discomfort
- Chest tightness
- Shortness of breath / dyspnea
- Cough
- Lung Edema
Skin Reactions and Side Effects from DMSO
DMSO produces a number of side effects when it is administered topically via the skin or mucous membranes. As a drying agent, DMSO pulls water out of the skin which is why many of the side effects occur. The most common skin reaction seen with DMSO administration is a local burning sensation. Redness and swelling of the skin is also common. Patients who are injected with DMSO often also experience a local burning sensation in the overlying area.Skin reactions often disappear a few days after DMSO treatment is discontinued.
- Redness / Erythema
- Itching
- Rash
- Burning / Stinging
- Scaly skin / desquamation
- Blistering
- Dry Skin
- Skin Irritation
- Roughness
- Thickening of the skin
- Bullous dermatitis / dermatitis with vesicles
- Contact dermatitis
- Increase in skin pigmentation
- Peripheral edema
NOTE: Use DMSO with caution to treat psoriasis. Studies have shown that 1 out of 18 psoriasis patients develop exfoliative erythroderma after topical treatment with DMSO.
NOTE: Use DMSO with caution to treat dermographia. Studies have shown that some dermographia patients develop large weals after topical DMSO administration.
Neurological Side Effects
The most common neurological side effect is headache. Three studies have noted that the use of DMSO as a cryoprotectant in stem cell transfusions resulted in seizures. A transient cranial nerve palsy was reported in one patient who received DMSO along with stem cell infusions.A small number of patients who received DMSO treatment for cranial hypertension developed hyponatremia.
Eye Administration and Side Effects
DMSO can be used as eye-drops. In one study, two patients developed severe conjunctival hyperemia due to allergic reaction.About 25% of patients experienced stinging when DMSO was instilled in the eye. This stinging sensation went away within a short time.
Urinary Tract and Reproductive Organ Side Effects
There are few urogenital side effects with DMSO that are described in the scientific literature. These side effects are all associated with instillation of DMSO directly into the bladder.- Pelvic pain
- Pelvic discomfort
- Dysuria
- Strangury
- Kidney disorder
Other DMSO Side Effects
Other DMSO side effects that have been reported include:- Hyponatremia
- Sedation
- Weakness
- Fever
- Chills
- Dizziness
Resources:
• Madsen, B. K. (2018). Adverse reactions of dimethyl sulfoxide in humans: a systematic review. Retrieved March 7, 2024 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6707402/
• NSW (2012). Hypersensitivity reaction to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Retrieved March 7, 2024 from https://www.eviq.org.au/clinical-resources/side-effect-and-toxicity-management/immunological/1832-hypersensitivity-reaction-to-dimethyl-sulfoxi
• Yi, X. et al. (2017). Toxic effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on red blood cells, platelets, and vascular endothelial cells in vitro. Retrieved March 7, 2024 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5377396/
