Potassium permanganate (medical use)

For broader coverage of this topic, see Potassium permanganate.
Potassium permanganate
Clinical data
Trade namesPermitabs,[1] others
Routes of
administration		Topical
ATC code
Identifiers
  • Potassium manganate(VII)
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
Chemical and physical data
FormulaKMnO4
Molar mass158.032
3D model (JSmol)
  • [O-][Mn](=O)(=O)=O.[K+]
  • InChI=1S/K.Mn.4O/q+1;;;;;-1
  • Key:VZJVWSHVAAUDKD-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Potassium permanganate is used as a medication for a number of skin conditions.[2] This includes fungal infections of the foot, impetigo, pemphigus, superficial wounds, dermatitis, and tropical ulcers.[3][2] For tropical ulcers it is used together with procaine benzylpenicillin.[2] [3] It can be applied as a soaked dressing or a bath.[2]

Side effects may include irritation of the skin and discoloration of clothing.[2] If it is taken by mouth, toxicity and death may occur.[4] Potassium permanganate is an oxidizing agent.[5] The British National Formulary recommends that each 100 mg be dissolved in a liter of water before use.[3]

Potassium permanganate was first made in the 1600s and came into common medical use at least as early as the 1800s.[6] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ox2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e World Health Organization (2009). Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR (eds.). WHO Model Formulary 2008. World Health Organization. pp. 295, 300. hdl:10665/44053. ISBN 9789241547659.
  3. ^ a b c British Medical Association; Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2015). British national formulary (69 ed.). p. 840. ISBN 9780857111562.
  4. ^ Shai A, Maibach HI (2005). Wound Healing and Ulcers of the Skin: Diagnosis and Therapy - The Practical Approach. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 265. ISBN 9783540267614. Archived from the original on 2017-09-18.
  5. ^ Kasture AV, Wadodkar SG, Gokhale SB (2008). Practical Pharmaceutical Chemistry - I. Nirali Prakashan. ISBN 9788185790442. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16.
  6. ^ Stout M (2013). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Aquaponic Gardening. Penguin. p. Chapter 16. ISBN 9781615643332. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16.
  7. ^ World Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 21st list 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/325771. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.06. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.