DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) and carrier formulations
What 4 graded rows on dmso (dimethyl sulfoxide) agree on for carrier formulations, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) and carrier formulations
4 rows · 393 peopleMostly an improvement: 3 of 4 rows, and most of the people. 1 found no difference.
- CGrade C× 1
- DGrade D× 3
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 4
- People
- 393
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a randomized trial of 171 people (1992) and found an improvement.
The row that found no difference was larger: 135 people, against a median of 62 people for the 3 rows that found an improvement.
The 3 rows that found an improvement are newer (1992 to 2024) than the row that found no difference (1982).
The best grade is C among the rows that found an improvement, and D among the row that found no difference.
The rows
3 improved · 1 no difference- CGrade CHerpes zoster course with idoxuridine carried in DMSO vs oral acyclovir · Improved
RCT · n 171 · 1992 · Adults with herpes zoster of less than 4 days' duration (Spain, multicentre)
Topical solution for 4 days; tablets for 7 days · Until resolution
The idoxuridine-in-DMSO group (85) did better than the acyclovir group (86) on 7 of 14 measures, including time to vesicle drying, last day of moderate-to-severe pain and last day of analgesic use.
Row on the DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) page · PubMed 1560699 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DHeel pain in plantar fasciitis with plant terpenes carried in 15% DMSO · Improved
RCT · n 62 · 2024 · Adults with plantar fasciitis at a medical practice and a physical therapy clinic, Boise, Idaho, USA
1 mL on the heel twice daily · 10 days
78.1% of patients on the active solution reported a 85% or greater fall in Foot Function Index pain score by day 10; placebo had no effect (p < 0.01). No adverse events were reported; 2 per group withdrew because of the smell.
Row on the DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) page · PubMed 39085322 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DBiopsy-confirmed clearance of low-risk basal cell carcinoma with ascorbic acid carried in DMSO · Improved
RCT · n 25 · 2022 · 25 patients with 29 biopsy-confirmed low-risk nodular or superficial basal cell carcinomas (Boise, Idaho, USA)
Ascorbic acid solution applied twice daily · 8 weeks; follow-up to 30 months
Post-treatment biopsy showed complete resolution in 13 of 15 lesions (86.7%) with ascorbic acid in DMSO vs 8 of 14 (57.1%) with imiquimod (p < 0.05); non-inferior at 12 weeks, with fewer adverse effects. Residual hypopigmentation at 30 months: 70% with imiquimod vs 0%.
Row on the DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) page · PubMed 35217280 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DGenital herpes symptoms with idoxuridine carried in DMSO · No difference
RCT · n 135 · 1982 · 96 recurrent and 39 first episodes of genital herpes (USA)
Four times daily · 7 days
Viral shedding was shorter with idoxuridine in DMSO, but it had no effect on symptoms, new lesions, healing time or recurrence. Local burning, generalised contact dermatitis and one vulvar carcinoma in situ were reported with idoxuridine in DMSO.
Row on the DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) page · PubMed 7047788 (opens PubMed)