A layperson’s guide to Archie H. Scott’s “The DMSO Handbook for Doctors”

05/20/2025 / By Olivia Cook

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a sulfur-based compound derived from trees, originally used in paper production. It penetrates skin, muscles, bones and even the blood-brain barrier with minimal toxicity.
DMSO reduces inflammation, relieves pain and protects cells as a potent antioxidant. It enhances drug/nutrient delivery by carrying substances deep into tissues. It also fights infections (bacterial, fungal, viral) and crosses the blood-brain barrier, aiding neurological conditions.
DMSO supports brain health (Alzheimer’s, strokes, MS), cancer treatment (synergy with chemo/radiation) and organ function (liver, digestive). It is also used in emergencies (burns, trauma), autoimmune diseases, respiratory issues and musculoskeletal injuries (arthritis, sports injuries).
Despite extensive research (11,000+ studies) and global use (125 countries), DMSO lacks mainstream adoption due to its unpatentable, low-cost nature and odor-related trial limitations. It is popular in veterinary medicine and integrative clinics, but overlooked by pharmaceutical companies.
Using DMSO requires medical-grade purity and professional guidance to avoid contaminants. Advocates urge patients to explore DMSO with informed clinicians, highlighting its proven, low-risk potential for chronic and acute conditions.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), a humble chemical with extraordinary natural healing properties, is quietly helping patients in the shadows of mainstream care.

First discovered in 1866 and later explored in the 1950s, DMSO is a sulfur-based liquid derived from trees. It was mainly back then to soften wood pulp in paper production. But it changed everything when scientists found it could penetrate skin, muscles, bone, tissues and even the blood-brain barrier – with virtually no toxicity.

In “The DMSO Handbook for Doctors,” Archie H. Scott exposes the buried medical legacy of DMSO – sharing decades of scientific findings and real world healing. His mission? To bring this “people’s medicine” back into the hands and conversations of everyday patients and caregivers.

DMSO does these things exceptionally well:

Reduces inflammation. Whether in joints, lungs or nerves, DMSO tamps down the body’s internal fire.
Relieves pain. It calms irritated nerves and improves circulation to damaged tissue.
Protects cells. As a powerful antioxidant, it neutralizes the unstable molecules (free radicals) that age us and cause disease. As an incredible cryopreservative, it protects living cells through during freezing and thawing (like a “molecular bubble wrap,” guarding cells through the freezing process so they come out intact, alive and functional) – a go-to cryoprotectant in labs for organ transplantation, stem cell banking, embryo preservation for IVF (in vitro fertilization) and cancer research.
Penetrates deeply. DMSO travels through skin, muscle, bone and tissues, carrying other substances – like medications or nutrients – along with it.
Kills microbes. DMSO has been shown to destroy or inhibit bacteria, fungi and even some antibiotic-resistant pathogens – offering potential support in fighting hard-to-treat infections.
Crosses into the brain. Few compounds can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). DMSO does, making it valuable for stroke, brain and spinal cord injuries and neurological disease.

These activities have made it a quiet hero in veterinary medicine and among integrative doctors, even while being sidelined by drug regulators who couldn’t patent or profit from it.

Blood, brain and bones: Where DMSO shines

Scott’s handbook maps out DMSO’s remarkable effects across the human body. This section organizes those uses into relatable categories, with simple, science-backed descriptions to help readers understand where – and how – DMSO helps.

Brain and nerve health

DMSO penetrates the brain, reduces swelling, protects nerves and supports mental clarity.

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia: It dissolves amyloid plaques (sticky clumps of protein that block the brain cells from working properly) quickly and restores blood flow, improving cognition, concentration, communication and memory.
Brain injuries and stroke: It reduces swelling, protects brain cells, preserves brain tissue by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain and improves recovery, even hours after trauma – and even when treatment is delayed, it can yield positive results.
Fibromyalgia: It eases widespread nerve hypersensitivity, pain and fatigue by calming inflammation.
Headaches and migraines: It calms vascular spasms (blood vessel narrowing) and reduces intracranial pressure (pressure inside the skull that can cause pain and visual disturbances).
Intellectual disability (e.g. Down syndrome): When combined with amino acids, it improves coordination, mental function (learning) and speech.
Mental health (anxiety, depression and schizophrenia): It reduces brain inflammation and may improve behavior, mental clarity and mood.
Multiple sclerosis (MS): It helps repair and rebuild damaged nerve coatings and restore and improve signal transmission.
Spinal cord injuries: It reduces swelling and protects spinal nerves to prevent long-tern damage by restoring oxygen and blood flow quickly.

Cancer support and treatment synergy

DMSO helps protect healthy cells, improve drug delivery and reduce treatment side effects.

Cancer treatment companion: DMSO has been shown to enhance the effects of chemotherapy and radiation while reducing their harmful side effects. It protects healthy cells from oxidative damage, improves immune function and may help chemotherapy drugs penetrate tumor tissue more effectively.
Laetrile (vitamin B17) synergy: When used with laetrile – a controversial alternative cancer therapy – DMSO helps carry it directly to cancer cells where it becomes selectively toxic to tumors while sparing healthy tissue. This combination has been explored in Mexico and integrative clinics around the world.

Digestive and liver support

DMSO protects tissues, reduces oxidative stress and supports organ function.

Cirrhosis of the liver: It supports liver regeneration and helps remove built-up toxins, especially when paired with alcohol cessation and healthy dietary support.
Digestive distress (gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting): It soothes the gut and may help resolve chronic cases when other treatments fail.
Stomach ulcers and gastritis: It heals the stomach lining and reduces recurrence by neutralizing free radicals.

Emergency and trauma care

DMSO acts quickly to reduce swelling, pain and oxidative damage in crisis situations.

Emergency medicine use: It should be stocked in trauma kits for burns, head injuries and strokes due to its fast-acting properties.
First aid (burns, trauma): It reduces swelling, speeds healing and recovery, promotes tissue regeneration and prevents scarring (unsightly keloids) when applied immediately.
Radiation exposure: It neutralizes free radicals caused by radiation and prevents burns.
Toxin exposure: It can bind with and carry out certain toxins from the body like heavy metals (cadmium, lead and mercury).

Heart, blood and immune function

DMSO improves circulation, reduces inflammation and supports the immune function.

Amyloidosis: DMSO dissolves harmful, abnormal buildup amyloid proteins that can damage organs and tissues, potentially halting disease progression.
Autoimmune diseases (lupus, scleroderma): It reduces joint and tissue damage while avoiding steroid side effects.
Blood circulation issues: It improves flow to extremities, reduces clotting risk and supports oxygen delivery.
Systemic inflammation: It calms the body’s overactive immune response that drive chronic diseases. DMSO also enhances the effects of natural cortisol (the body’s anti-inflammatory hormone), helping reduce dependence on steroid drugs.

Infections and immune defense

DMSO kills microbes and enhances antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals by helping them reach hard-to-treat areas.

Bacterial infections: It breaks through biofilms (bacterial shields) and enhances antibiotic power.
Bladder pain: It is an approved treatment for interstitial cystitis by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that soothes inflammation and restores bladder function.
Fungal infections: Commonly used for athlete’s food, nail fungus and chronic skin infections in tropical climates, it penetrates deep into tissue to kill fungal pathogens.
Shingles and herpes: It reduces nerve pain and accelerates healing and recovery, especially when applied early.

Lung and respiratory relief

DMSO reduces airway inflammation and improves breathing in chronic lung conditions.

Asthma and bronchitis: It opens airways, reduces mucus and inflammation and improves lung capacity.
Radiation lung damage: It soothes inflammation and supports healing after radiation therapy or chemo-related inflammation.

Muscle, joints and movement

DMSO reduces inflammation, improves circulation and speeds up repair in soft tissues and joints.

Arthritis (osteo- and rheumatoid): It provides sulfur to damaged joints, relieves inflammation, joint pain and muscle spams while improving blood flow and mobility and supporting cartilage repair without side effects – unlike with NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which can accelerate cartilage damage over time.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: It reduces pressure and swelling around the median nerve in the wrist, alleviating numbness, tingling and weakness.
General pain management: It blocks pain signals and reduces inflammation at the source.
Phantom limb pain: It calms nerve activity and reduces lingering pain in amputees.
Sports injuries: It speeds healing from sprains, strains and overuse musculoskeletal injuries by reducing swelling, pain and oxidative damage. DMSO is particularly beneficial when used before and after intense workouts or competitions.

Sensory health: Eyes, ears and mouth

DMSO improves blood flow and reduces inflammation in delicate sensory organs.

Ear infections and tinnitus: It reduces swelling and improves circulation in the ear canal.
Eye disorders (macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa): It helps preserve or restore vision when used carefully.
Tooth and gum disease: It reduces bacteria, heals gums and may protect against x-ray damage during dental procedures.

Skin, hair and surface healing

DMSO accelerates skin repair, prevents infection and enhances topical treatments.

Burns and wounds: It reduces pain, prevents infection, speeds healing and minimizes unsightly scarring. DMSO creams and lotions are often used with aloe vera, vitamin C and other science-backed natural healing agents.
Chronic ulcers and skin grafts: It prevents infection and promotes tissue regeneration.
Hair loss and scalp health: It increases circulation to hair follicles and supports regrowth.
Skin inflammation (eczema, psoriasis): It soothes redness, swelling and irritation.

The political problem: Why you don’t hear about DMSO

With benefits like these, why hasn’t DMSO become a household name? Simple. It’s abundant, cheap, generic (natural) and can’t be patented.

Pharmaceutical companies have no financial incentive to pursue FDA approval for multiple uses. And because of a distinct garlic-like odor in the breath and body (a harmless sulfur byproduct), DMSO couldn’t be easily “blinded” in clinical trials, which slowed its path to mainstream acceptance.

But a lack of approval doesn’t mean lack of evidence. Worldwide, over 11,000 articles have been written on DMSO’s medical and clinical effects. Under medical guidance, it’s approved for use in 125 countries.

In the U.S., it’s been quietly used for decades in veterinary medicine – cats, dogs and especially for race horses where joint injuries and inflammation are common. After all, horses can’t fake results. When they heal faster, people notice.

And now, a growing number of integrative and functional medicine doctors are beginning to reintroduce DMSO to patients seeking alternatives to high-risk and often expensive pharmaceuticals or ineffective treatments. These doctors are tapping into the science and offering DMSO as part of broader, personalized healing plans.

The healing science you were never meant to know

Scott urges readers not to self-medicate recklessly but also not to be passive. Ask your doctor. Read the research. Connect with clinicians who understand or have experienced DMSO’s benefits and limitations.

Used with medical guidance, DMSO is incredibly safe. It’s only caution is purity because it carries substances directly into cells. It must be medical or pharmaceutical grade – no hardware store or industrial-grade versions and no mixing with unknown chemicals. Users must clean affected areas thoroughly before application.

DMSO is not new. It isn’t flashy and it doesn’t come in expensive bottles. But it does work, quietly restoring the quality of lives for decades – from athletes to chronic pain suffers to Alzheimer’s patients reclaiming moments of clarity.

The science is clear, the risk is low and the potential is enormous.

Watch this video about healing with DMSO.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.