Protective effect of povidone iodine ointment against skin lesions inducedby chemical and thermal stimuli

Mustard gas (sulfur mustard, HD) is a powerful vesicant employed as a chemi cal weapon. The present study demonstrates the effect of povidone iodine (P I) ointment against skin toxicity caused by no, Gross and histopathological examinations showed that application of PI 20 min or less following exposu re to the vesicant resulted in marked skin protection. The shorter, interva l between exposure and treatment, the better was the protection achieved. P ovidone iodine was also effective against other mustards, such as carboxybu tylchloroethyl sulfide (CBCS) and mechlorethamine, The fact that PI protect ed the skin against agents that cannot be oxidized, such as iodoacetic acid , divinylsulfone and cantharidine, indicated that the antidotal effect of P I was unrelated to oxidation of the nitrogen and sulfur atoms of the mustar ds. Furthermore, NMR spectroscopy of CBCS treated with iodine did not show oxidation of the sulfur atom, Clinical experience with patients after accid ential heat burns (mostly of grade I) has shown that topical application of PI ointment immediately after the stimulus significantly reduced, and ofte n prevented, skin lesions. Apart from being a safe and widely used disinfec tant, PI ointment is recommended as an efficient protective agent against s kin toxicity caused by hazardous chemicals and by heat stimuli. Copyright ( C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.