| Indication | For the symptomatic relief of patients with interstitial cystitis. |
| Pharmacodynamics | Dimethyl Sulfoxide may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and analgesic activities. Dimethyl Sulfoxide also readily penetrates cellular membranes. The membrane-penetrating ability of dimethyl sulfoxide may enhance diffusion of other substances through the skin. For this reason, mixtures of idoxuridine and dimethyl sulfoxide have been used for topical treatment of herpes zoster in the United Kingdom. |
| Mechanism of action | The mechanism of dimethyl sulfoxide's actions is not well understood. Dimethyl sulfoxide has demonstrated antioxidant activity in certain biological settings. For example, the cardiovascular protective effect of dimethyl sulfoxide in copper-deficient rats is thought to occur by an antioxidant mechanism. It is also thought that dimethyl sulfoxide's possible anti-inflammatory activity is due to antioxidant action. |
| Absorption | Readily and rapidly absorbed following administration by all routes and distributed throughout the body. |
| Volume of distribution | Not Available |
| Protein binding | Not Available |
| Metabolism | Dimethyl sulfoxide is metabolized in man by oxidation to dimethyl sulfone or by reduction in dimethyl sulfide. Dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone are excreted in the urine and feces. |
| Route of elimination | Dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl sulfone are excreted in the urine and feces. |
| Half life | Not Available |
| Clearance | Not Available |
| Toxicity | The oral LD50 of dimethyl sulfoxide in the dog is greater than 10 gm/kg. It is improbable that this dosage level could be obtained with intravesical instillation of dimethyl sulfoxide in the patient. |