Monograph: MSM

Date: 2022-12-30

NHPID name

Dimethyl sulfone ( O'Neil et al. 2012 )

Proper name(s)

• Dimethyl sulfone ( NLM 2009 , O'Neil et al. 2006 )
• Methylsulfonylmethane ( NLM 2009 , O'Neil et al. 2006 )
• Sulfonylbismethane ( NLM 2009 , O'Neil et al. 2006 )

Common name(s)

• Methylsulfonylmethane ( NLM 2009 , O'Neil et al. 2006 )
• MSM ( NLM 2009 )

Source material

Dimethyl sulfone (O'Neil et al. 2006)

Route Of administration

Oral

Dosage form(s)

Those suited to the allowable route(s) of administration. This monograph is not intended to include food-like dosage forms such as bars, chewing gums or beverages.

Use(s) or purpose(s)

Statement(s) to the effect of:

Helps to relieve (joint) pain associated with osteoarthritis (of the knee).  (Kim et al. 2006, Usha and Naidu 2004)

Dose(s)

Adults:

Duration of use

Use for at least 1 month to see beneficial effects.  (Kim et al. 2006, Usha and Naidu 2004)

Risk information

Statement(s) to the effect of:

Caution(s) and Warning(s):

• Consult a health care practitioner/health care provider/health care professional/doctor/ physician if symptoms worsen.
• Consult a health care practitioner/health care provider/health care professional/doctor/ physician prior to use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.  (Unavailable)

Contraindication(s): No statement is required Known Adverse Reaction(s): Some people may experience mild gastrointestinal bloating, constipation or indigestion.  (Kim et al. 2006)

Non-medicinal ingredients

Must be chosen from the current Natural health products ingredients database and must meet the limitations outlined in the database.

Specifications

• The finished product specifications must be established in accordance with the requirements described in the NHPD Quality of natural health products guide.
• The medicinal ingredient must comply with the requirements outlined in the Natural health products ingredient database (NHPID).
• The medicinal ingredient may comply with the specifications outlined in the Methylsulfonylmethane Monograph published in the United States Pharmacopoeia.

References cited

• Kim LS, Axelrod LJ, Howard P, Buratovich N, Waters RF. 2006. Efficacy of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) in osteoarthritis pain of the knee: a pilot clinical trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 14:286-294.
• NLM 2009: United States National Library of Medicine. ChemIDplus advanced [online]. Chemical name. RN: 000-00-0. Bethesda (MD): Specialized Information Services, United States National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health & Human Services. [Accessed 2009 May 19]. Available from: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?CHEM
• O'Neil MJ, Smith A, Heckelman PE, Budavari S, editors. The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals, 13th edition. Whitehouse Station (NJ): Merck & Co., Inc.; 2001.
• Usha PR, Naidu MUR. 2004. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled study of oral glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane and their combination in osteoarthritis. Clinical Drug Investigation 24(6):353-363.

References reviewed

• Altman R, Brandt K, Hochberg M, Moskowitz R, Bellamy N, Bloch DA, Buckwalter J, Dougados M, Ehrlich G, Lequesne M, Lohmander S, Murphy WA Jr, Rosario-Jansen T, Schwartz B, Trippel S. 1996. Design and conduct of clinical trials in patients with osteoarthritis: recommendations from a task force of the Osteoarthritis Research Society; Results from a workshop. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 4(4):217-43.
• Horvath K, Noker PE, Somfai-Relle S, Glávits R, Financsek I, Schauss AG. 2002. Toxicity of methylsulfonylmethane in rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology 40:1459-1462.
• Lin A, Nguy CH, Shic F, Ross BD. 2001. Accumulation of methylsulfonylmethane in the human brain: identification by multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Toxicology Letters 123:169-177.
• Magnuson BA, Appleton J, Ames GB. 2007. Pharmacokinetics and Distribution of [35S]Methylsulfonylmethane Following Oral Administration to Rats. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 55:1033-1038.
• Marieb E. 1992. Human Anatomy and Physiology, 2nd edition. Redwood City (CA): The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc.