作者Don Bottoni, RPh, FACA, PCCA临床配药药师

二甲亚砜(DMSO)是一种有趣的物质，在药学世界中有许多用途。它被归类为非质子溶剂，这意味着它不包含任何氢原子，也不能成为质子供体。这种性质使它成为一种理想的溶剂，大多数化学物质在其中是稳定的。它也可与许多其他溶剂混溶，包括水。它的沸点很高，所以在室温下不会迅速蒸发。它可以在华氏68度左右的温度下冷冻。如果药店收到了含有晶体的DMSO，只需将容器放在温水浴中，晶体就会溶解。在结晶溶解和容器充分摇晃之前，最好不要使用DMSO。如果晶体没有溶解，液体部分可能含有更高浓度的杂质。在其他应用中，DMSO历来被用于复合面霜和凝胶中作为渗透增强剂，尽管现代复合基底如Lipoderm®和PermE8®无水凝胶提供了优越的输送，而没有DMSO的一些苛刻性能。然而，尽管它很普遍，并不是所有的dmso都是平等的，有几个简单的方法可以确定您的dmso的质量是否有问题。Test 1
Does the DMSO you are using have an odor? If it does, it may mean that you are using an inferior quality product. There are several grades of this chemical that are used in different industries and for various purposes, including analytical applications and the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. However, a high-quality, USP-grade DMSO — which is what we must use in pharmacy compounding — should be virtually odorless.

Test 2
Recently, we have heard from some compounders that crystals are forming when they add their DMSO to water. DMSO is a nontoxic solvent obtained as a by-product of the paper-making industry, and lower grades of it may contain other distillates and contaminants that are not freely soluble in water. Therefore, if your DMSO is forming crystals when you add it to water, it may be because of a higher level of impurities. This should not happen with a high-quality, USP-grade DMSO.

Many years ago, PCCA set the standard by finding the highest grade chemicals for the compounding pharmacies we work with. This means we offer USP-grade DMSO that contains few if any impurities and is almost odorless. It does not form crystals when added to water. This high purity may help reduce any irritations when used in topical preparations as well. We compounders are mandated by USP to use the highest grade chemicals possible. Using USP-grade DMSO helps to ensure that you are following USP guidelines and that you are compounding a quality product.

PCCA members can learn more by reading the document Not All DMSOs Are the Same on our Members-Only Website. They can also see more details on the proper thawing procedure for DMSO.

Don Bottoni, RPh, FACA, joined the staff of PCCA in January 2010 after 40 years of practice in independent pharmacies. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1966 with a BA in chemistry and The University of Texas College of Pharmacy with a BS in pharmacy in 1969. Don’s areas of interest include nutrition, sterile compounding, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and men’s health. Don has been a presenter at many PCCA International Seminars and at University of Texas continuing-education seminars, and he taught several classes on nutrition for PCCA in the mid-1990s.