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Black Ointment-Ichthammol

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:40 pm
by seazar
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ichthammol

I went to CVS pharmacy today and spoke with a pharmacist, as I have been waiting for over a month for them to stock Ichthammol
The Pharmacist checked with the store manager and said that it is now a SPECIAL ORDER item????
I ordered 4 of them today as something tells me that you won't be able to buy it soon.
For what it's worth :)

seazar

Re: Black Ointment-Ichthammol

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 1:23 am
by Wulfgang
For those of you who are like me, and didnit know what this stuff was, I looked it up in Wikipedia- here's what Seazar is talking about:

Ammonium bituminosulfonate (ichthyol or ichthammol, CAS#8029-68-3 brand names: Albichthyol) is a product of natural origin obtained in the first step by dry distillation of sulfur-rich oil shale. It is used in medicine as a remedy for treating some skin diseases, such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. It is commonly used in 10% or 20% concentrate ointment form as a "drawing salve". However, it does not actually draw out foreign objects. It does soften skin over a boil or spot allowing it to come to a head sooner. It also decreases microorganisms in the area surrounding a skin condition. It is sometimes called "black ointment". Its dermatological action was discovered by German physician Paul Gerson Unna.

From elemental analysis its composition was calculated to be C28H36S5O6(NH4)2. However, as a product from natural origin it is a mixture of many different compounds.

Chemically, it is a sulfonated shale oil. It can be presented in two forms: pale sulfonated shale oil (PSSO), and dark sulfonated shale oil (DSSO). DSSO is also sometimes called ichthammol. The last form is a thick reddish brown liquid, possessing a bituminous odor and taste. It is soluble in water and miscible with glycerin, but is nearly insoluble in strong alcohol or concentrated ether. It contains a large percentage of organically combined sulfur. Ichthyol is incompatible with acids, alkali carbonates or hydrates and alkaloidal salts.

Pharmacologically, PSSO and DSSO have anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and fungicidal properties. In otology, a mixture of glycerol and ichthammol (G & I) has been used for generations for the topical treatment of ear infections. It is efficient against Gram-positive organisms. The anti-inflammatory action is explained by its influence on the formation, secretion and effect of inflammation mediators. DSSO is well tolerated and no indications of teratogenic, mutagenic or carcinogenic effects have been noted.