formaldehyde - Sciencemadness Dot Org

Medicine
USES OF FORMALDEHYDE 343
Because of its irritant action, formaldehyde itself is only occasional! v
employed for medicinal purposes. However, if it can be "tolerated, thestandard
37 per cent T7.S.P. solution is often effective for the treatment of
ringworm, although its use for this purpose is contraindicated if the surface
of the skin is raw 5 . It is also occasionally employed in 1:50000
dilution for treating conjunctivitis neonatorum, pundent conjunctivitis or
the newborn 4 . It is more commonly used for the prevention of excessive
sweating of the feet as a solution prepared by diluting 1 to 2 oz of L'.S.R
formaldehyde with sufficient water to make 6 oz of solution 6 . Rorchers 1
claims that it possesses some advantages over tincture of iodine in operative
technique. Paraformaldehyde is sometimes employed as a 10 per cent suspension
in collodion for the treatment of warts 7 . Small quantities of
formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde are also encountered in some proprietary
preparations recommended for the prevention of excessive sweating,
for the treatment of athlete's foot, etc* Paraformaldehyde is sometimes
added to medicated talcums.
Of special interest is the use of formaldehyde in the conversion of toxins
to toxoids which are non-toxic, although still capable of stimulating typical
antigenic response 3 , Schultz and Gebhardt 9 believe that formaldehyde
combines with the amino groups of the toxins and after injection into the
body is gradually removed by oxidation, thereby restoring the toxin or
virus to its original state. According to a patented process 2 , formaldehyde
may also be used in the preparation of detoxified pollen extract,
Miscellaneous uses of formaldehyde described in patents include a
method for making non-bitter cascara sagrada extract 8 . This procedure is
carried out by boiling with dilute aqueous formaldehyde. Unreacted
formaldehyde, not removed by distillation during the treating process, is
subsequently eliminated by reaction with ammonia.
Hexamethylenetetramine is a well known urinary antiseptic for the
treatment of pyelitis, cystitis, and other diseases of the urinary tract. Its
action apparently resides in the hydrolytic liberation of formaldehyde m
acid urine, and for this reason acidity is often insured by giving the patient
alternate doses of hexamethylenetetramine and sodium acid phosphate.
When prescribed for medicinal use hexamethyknetetramine is given the
name of methenamine, formm, or utropine.
Formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, and hexamethylenetetramine also
find applications in the synthesis of drugs and other medicinal products,
among which are methylene ditannin (Tannoform), hexamethylenetetramine
sodium benzoate (Cystazol), and hexamethylenetetramine anhydromethylene
citrate (Helmitol).