Potassium permanganate (medical use)

Last updated
Potassium permanganate
Potassium-permanganate-sample.jpg
Clinical data
Trade names Permitabs, [1] others
Routes of
administration 		Topical
ATC code
Identifiers
  • Potassium manganate(VII)
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
Chemical and physical data
Formula KMnO4
Molar mass 158.032
3D model (JSmol)
  • [O-][Mn](=O)(=O)=O.[K+]
  • InChI=1S/K.Mn.4O/q+1;;;;;-1
  • Key:VZJVWSHVAAUDKD-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Potassium permanganate is used as a medication for a number of skin conditions. [2] This includes fungal infections of the foot, impetigo, pemphigus, superficial wounds, dermatitis, and tropical ulcers. [3] [2] For tropical ulcers it is used together with procaine benzylpenicillin. [2] [3] It can be applied as a soaked dressing or a bath. [2]

Contents

Side effects may include irritation of the skin and discoloration of clothing. [2] If it is taken by mouth, toxicity and death may occur. [4] Potassium permanganate is an oxidizing agent. [5] The British National Formulary recommends that each 100 mg be dissolved in a liter of water before use. [3]

Potassium permanganate was first made in the 1600s and came into common medical use at least as early as the 1800s. [6] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. [7]

Medical uses

Uses include for fungal infections of the foot, impetigo, pemphigus, superficial wounds, dermatitis (eczema), and tropical ulcers. [3] [2] Typically it is used in skin conditions that produce a lot of liquid. [3] For tropical ulcers it is used together with procaine benzylpenicillin for two to four weeks. [2] [8]

It can be used in children and adults. [8] It can be applied as a soaked dressing or a bath. [2] Petroleum jelly may be used on the nails before soaking to prevent their discoloration. [1] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not recommend its use in either the crystal or tablet form. [9]

Side effects

Topical

Side effects may include irritation of the skin and discoloration of clothing. [2] A harsh burn on a child from an undissolved tablet has been reported. [10] For treating eczema, it is recommended using for a few days at a time due to the possibility of it irritating the skin. [10] Higher concentration solutions can result in chemical burns. [11] Therefore, the British National Formulary recommends 100 mg be dissolved in a liter of water before use to form a 1:10,000 (0.01%) solution. [3] [10] Wrapping the dressings soaked with potassium permanganate is not recommended. [8]

By mouth

If taken by mouth it is toxic. [12] Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath may occur. [13] If a sufficiently large amount (about 10 grams) is eaten death may occur. [4] [13]

Concentrated solutions when drunk have resulted in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome or swelling of the airway. [14] Recommended measures for those who have ingested potassium permanganate include gastroscopy. [14] Activated charcoal or medications to cause vomiting are not recommended. [14] While medications like ranitidine and N-acetylcysteine may be used in toxicity, evidence for this use is poor. [14]

Mechanism of action

Potassium permanganate functions as an oxidising agent. [15] Through this mechanism it results in disinfection, astringent effects, and decreased smell. [15]

History

Potassium permanganate was first made in the 1600s and came into common medical use at least as early as the 1800s. [6] During World War I Canadian soldiers were given potassium permanganate (to be applied mixed with an ointment) in an effort to prevent sexually transmitted infections (resulting mostly in violet stained genitals.) [16] Some have attempted to bring about an abortion by putting it in the vagina, though this is not effective. [17] [18] [19] Other historical uses have included as an effort to wash out the stomach in those with strychnine or picrotoxin poisoning. [20]

Society and culture

In the United States the FDA requires tablets of the medication to be sold by prescription. [9] Potassium permanganate, however, does not have FDA approved uses and therefore non medical grade potassium permanganate is sometimes used for medical use.[ citation needed ]

It is available under a number of brand names including Permasol, Koi Med Tricho-Ex, and Kalii permanganas RFF. [21] It is occasionally called "Condy's crystals". [15]

Other animals

Potassium permanganate may be used to prevent the spread of glanders among horses. [22]

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References

  1. 1 2 Burge S, Wallis D (2011). Oxford Handbook of Medical Dermatology. OUP Oxford. p. 592. ISBN   9780199558322.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 World Health Organization (2009). Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR (eds.). WHO Model Formulary 2008. World Health Organization. pp. 295, 300. hdl:10665/44053. ISBN   9789241547659.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 British Medical Association; Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2015). British national formulary (69 ed.). p. 840. ISBN   9780857111562.
  4. 1 2 Shai A, Maibach HI (2005). Wound Healing and Ulcers of the Skin: Diagnosis and Therapy - The Practical Approach. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 265. ISBN   9783540267614. Archived from the original on 2017-09-18.
  5. ↑ Kasture AV, Wadodkar SG, Gokhale SB (2008). Practical Pharmaceutical Chemistry - I. Nirali Prakashan. ISBN   9788185790442. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16.
  6. 1 2 Stout M (2013). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Aquaponic Gardening. Penguin. p. Chapter 16. ISBN   9781615643332. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16.
  7. ↑ World Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 21st list 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/325771. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.06. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
  8. 1 2 3 "WHO Model Prescribing Information: Drugs Used in Skin Diseases: Antiseptic agents: Potassium permanganate". apps.who.int. Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  9. 1 2 "CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21". www.accessdata.fda.gov. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 "Should potassium permanganate be used in wound care?". Nursing Times. 5 August 2003. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  11. ↑ Olson KR (2011). Poisoning and Drug Overdose, Sixth Edition. McGraw Hill Professional. p. 121. ISBN   9780071716765.
  12. ↑ Schachner LA, Hansen RC (2011). Pediatric Dermatology E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 131. ISBN   978-0723436652.
  13. 1 2 Patnaik P (2007). A Comprehensive Guide to the Hazardous Properties of Chemical Substances. John Wiley & Sons. p. 710. ISBN   9780471714583.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Dart RC (2004). Medical Toxicology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 904–905. ISBN   9780781728454.
  15. 1 2 3 "Potassium permanganate | DermNet New Zealand". www.dermnetnz.org. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  16. ↑ González-Crussi F (2008). A Short History of Medicine. Random House Publishing Group. p. 111. ISBN   9781588368218.
  17. ↑ Solinger R (2005). Pregnancy and Power: A Short History of Reproductive Politics in America. NYU Press. p. 120. ISBN   9780814741191.
  18. ↑ Code of Federal Regulations: Record 2: 2007-. U.S. General Services Administration, National Archives and Records Service, Office of the Federal Register. 2008. p. 178.
  19. ↑ "CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21". www.accessdata.fda.gov. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  20. ↑ "Potassium permanganate definition | Drugs.com". Drugs.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  21. ↑ "Potassium Permanganate - Drugs.com". Drugs.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  22. ↑ Scott DW, Miller WH (2010). Equine Dermatology - E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 168. ISBN   978-1437709216.
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