Analgesic Effect Of Methylene Blue

Giraffe

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I came accross an article written by Paul Ehrlich and Arthur Leppmann called "Über schmerzstillende Wirkung des Methylenblau." published in 1890 in the Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift. This was a couple of years before Aspirin came on the market.

The researchers tested methylene blue on young, male (allegedly mental ill) prison inmates.

In the beginning they experimented with injections, but switched to oral administration (gelatine capsules with either 100 or 500 mg methylene blue) which allowed to use larger doses. The highest daily dose they tried was 1,000 mg.

They write that methylene blue helped in certain cases of neuritis (inflammation of a nerve) and rheumatoid pains of muscles, joints and tendon sheaths. They describe that you start to see an effect two hours after ingestion (oral dose 0.1 - 0.25 g) and this effect increases remarkably in the next hours, sometimes leading to complete relief from pain. They did not notice any change in swelling etc. that could have explained the pain relieving effect. There were two cases of vasospastic (?? - they write "angiospastisch") migraines: one was stopped in its tracks, the other one shortened in duration.

Methylene blue did not help in cases of neurasthenia, bone pains caused by syphilis, and stomach ulcer.

......

Here are a couple of more recent studies, mostly pilot studies:

Methylene Blue in the Treatment of Discogenic Low Back Pain

They used injections. 4 out of 8 patients report partial or complete pain relieve for at least several weeks.


A randomized placebo-controlled trial of intradiscal methylene blue injection for the treatment of chronic discogenic low back pain. - PubMed - NCBI

They also used injections. Found it safe and useful.


Repeated methylene blue administration produces analgesia in experimental pain

Animal study.

Our study demonstrates that chronic administration of MB has analgesic effects on acute nociception as well as on the orofacial inflammatory pain; further studies must be conducted in order to elucidate the mechanism by which the methylene blue exerts its antinociceptive effect.


Randomized single-blind clinical trial of intradermal methylene blue on pain reduction after open diathermy haemorrhoidectomy. - PubMed - NCBI

Perianal intradermal injection of methylene blue was useful in reducing the initial postoperative pain of open haemorrhoidectomy.


Evaluation of the protein biomarkers and the analgesic response to systemic methylene blue in patients with refractory neuropathic pain: a double-blind, controlled study

They used infusions. Methylene blue was added to 5% glucose. The treatment group received 2 mg/kg, the control group 0.02 mg/kg. It looks like both groups felt better after treatment.

As neuropathic pain responds poorly to the available pharmacological and interventional methods of treatment, this study represents a new approach for targeting neuropathic pain resistant to all conventional treatments.

According to this paper the description of "refractory neuropathic pains" includes "prickling, tingling, pins & needles", "pain evoked by light touch", "electric shocks or shooting pain", "hot or burning" pain, "brush allodynia on self-examination".
 
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Giraffe

Giraffe

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Wow, 1000 mg? How long was that administered for?
They don't say.

They write that they treated approximately 40 patients. Only one of these cases is described in more detail:

The man had pains along the sciatic nerve getting worse each day, couldn't walk, fever.

They started the treatment on February 12, 100 mg in the midmorning. In the evening the pain was gone and the man could walk, but a mild pain was coming back the next morning. 100 mg in the evening... They kept the dose for a couple of days, trying to figure out what the right timing is, I think. On February 15 he had severe pain again, and then they started to give methylene blue more frequently (highest daily dose was 400 mg). The patient gets confined to bed for two weeks (he had been doing joineries the last days). On March 17 the pain leaves for good, and three days later he starts working again.

On May 23, he complains about heavy pains again. 500 mg. After that he stayed healthy.
 

sladerunner69

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Are you familiar with the theory that bacteria is resposnible for chronic pain after injuries? Methylene Blue is well documented as having acute anti-microbial properties as well as mitigating the inflammatory effects of N.O>. If the idea that bacteria invade injured msucles/tendons/bone structures and contribute to paina nd degeneration holds some water, then I could easily deduce a hypothesis that MB is clearing out the local pathogen build up.
 

Milena

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Methylene blue was used for carbon monoxide poisoning as I believe it broke the bond to the haemoglobin. My poor goldfish has been brought back from the dead, twice, by it's use when the water was polluted by equipment failure. I used it the first time as a last resort but first response the second time. Methylene Blue is also very effective when used as part of a "medicated fish bath" for treatment of ammonia, nitrite, and cyanide poisoning

Perhaps one of positive effects people have found on the board are a relief from the effects of car pollution where CO is binding to some of their blood cells.

It is also an MAOI and may undo the inhibition of gluconeogenesis.

Interestingly, it is also noted to work with red light for psoriasis but caution needed, see Methylene Blue And Red Light - Caution
 

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