Use of Methylene Blue to Treat Methemoglobinemia in Infancy

Abstract

AN ABNORMALLY INCREASED concentration of methemoglobin in the blood (methemoglobinemia) occurs whenever there is an imbalance between oxidation and reduction of heme iron. Methemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying pigment of the red blood cells) in which heme iron has been oxidized to the ferric state, making it unable to transport oxygen (Table 1). Normally, methemoglobin is continuously formed at a slow rate by the oxidation of heme iron to the ferric state and is then enzymatically reduced back to hemoglobin. The enzyme NADH-methemoglobin reductase accounts for nearly all methemoglobin reduction. Other mechanisms for methemoglobin reduction include antioxidants such as vitamin C and glutathione. Methemoglobinemia occurs when more than 1 percent of hemoglobin is oxidized to methemoglobin; cyanosis occurs with methemoglobin levels of approximately 1.5 gm/dl.1 Table 2 shows the normal methemoglobin concentrations for infants of various ages.

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Adult Periodontitis

“…Methylene blue-based aPDT is a rapidly cidal approach that tends to overcome these issues, demonstrating 4-6 log10 (10,000 -1,000,000-fold) reduction in viability of microorganisms in laboratory biofilms over 60 seconds [32]. Methylene blue (3,7-bis[Dimethylamino]-phenazathionium chloride) is a cationic heterocyclic aromatic dye commonly used for histological visualization, treatment of methemoglobinemia [33], visualization of polyps during endoscopic polypectomy, tracing lymphatic drainage during sentinel lymph node dissection [34], and visualization of GI dysplasia [35]. aPDT using methylene blue is widely used in European countries for the disinfection of fresh frozen donor plasma and red cell suspensions [36].…”

Bioenergetic Impairment of Triethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate- (TEGDMA-) Treated Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) and Isolated Brain Mitochondria are Amended by Redox Compound Methylene Blue

“…28: 953-956; 1891). Methylene blue has been used to treat CN poisoning [50], methemoglobinemia [51], cytostatics adverse effects [52]. Methylene blue (MB) proved to be beneficial in several neurological diseases [53] where various deficiencies of the mitochondrial CI, Complex II (CII) and/or CIII were detected.…”

Methylene blue promotes quiescence of rat neural progenitor cells

“…Methylene blue is a heterocyclic aromatic chemical compound that is used to treat malaria ( Dormoi et al, 2013 ), methemoglobinemia ( Zenk, 2001 ), and ifosfamide neurotoxicity ( Patel, 2006 ). Recent studies have identified its potential neuroprotective action in ischemic stroke, Parkinson’s disease ( Wen et al, 2011 ), and Alzheimer’s disease ( Congdon et al, 2012 ).…”