Pharmaceuticals

DMSO is an important reaction solvent for the synthesis of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), and has use as an API itself. Additionally, DMS is used as a reagent in synthesis of some APIs. Our products are used in all facets of the pharmaceutical industry, from discovery to drug delivery - and all applications along the way. We produce material for each exact application which addresses the quality and regulatory requirements for the specific use.

Applications include:

Drug Delivery

Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP (DMSO USP) used in topical and parenteral drug delivery. Details of DMSO in approved products can be located in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Center for Drug Evaluation and Research’s database Inactive Ingredient Search for Approved Drug Products.

Topical dosages
Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP has been recognized for many years as a topical penetration enhancer. Both human and animal health applications currently exist. Solvent properties of DMSO may allow for higher loading of the API in semisolid products.

Parenteral
Approved applications exist for Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP where it provides solubility to the API. Worldwide many innovative applications are currently being evaluated for small volume parenterals and vaccine delivery. Carbohydrate solubility may be enhanced for parenteral applications through the use of DMSO. DMSO may be required in the delivery of genetic material either in the form of cells or fragments. DMSO USP is also used to solubilize polymers during processing of these dosages.

Learn about the right DMSO for these products.

API

Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) is approved throughout the world as an API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) for treatment of Interstitial Cystitis. The approved formulation is a sterile 50% aqueous DMSO solution that is instilled into the bladder.

While this is the only approved indication for DMSO in North America DMSO, it is used on other continents for self-medication.

Learn about the right DMSO for these products.

Analytical

Various instrumental methods require well characterized solvents. Dimethyl Sulfide (DMSO) is used in analytical applications and excels due to the wide range of materials DMSO will dissolve.

DMSO is used in UV and IR spectroscopy for the analysis of polymers, inorganic and organic compounds. The polarity of DMSO is used to modify the solvent strength of HPLC eluent in reverse phase mode. When using DMSO in the mobile phase, compatible lines and pump components are required.

We manufacture two grades of DMSO conforming to ACS (American Chemical Society’s) Monographs. Dimethyl Sulfoxide ACS-Reagent Grade and the more optically pure ACS-Spectrophotometric Grade.

Learn about the right DMSO for these products.

HTS / Compound Storage

DMSO exhibits outstanding solvent capability for both organic and inorganic compounds. These characteristics make DMSO a widely used solvent in compound discovery laboratories for compound library storage. Normally DMSO ACS–Spectrophotometric Grade is selected for storage.

DMSO is also used in analytical or High Throughput Screening processes. DMSO ACS–Spectrophotometric Grade insures the DMSO will remain a consistent background and not contribute to resolution issues.

Learn about the right DMSO for these products.

API / Intermediate Synthesis

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) are among the many organic compounds that may be synthesized with Dimethyl Sulfoxide. The excellent solvent power of this aprotic compound is responsible for its reputation as a ‘Super Solvent’. When used as a reaction solvent, DMSO improves selectivity and yield, in many types of chemical reactions. DMSO also provides the flexibility to run reactions at high temperature. DMSO is a useful polymer solvent, which has ramifications in pharmaceutical science.

As a reagent, DMSO is used to provide specificity in oxidation as part of the Swern reaction. DMSO can be used to form the dimsyl ion, which is a strong base useful in alkylation, nucleophilic displacement and condensation reactions. Many Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) are initially synthesized in DMSO due these properties.

 

Pharmaceutical API / Intermediate Synthesis

 

Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) DMS has applications in API synthesis as a reagent in reactions such as epoxidation and hydroboration-oxidation.