Drug & supplement interaction

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) + Cisplatin

Cisplatin brand name: Platinol-AQ.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Cisplatin falls into 2 drug categories that Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. In vitro research shows that DMSO reduces cisplatin cytotoxicity by inducing ligand displacement.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Cisplatin

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) interacts with whole categories of medication. Cisplatin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

CISPLATIN (Platinol-AQ)

1 of 2
In vitro research shows that DMSO reduces cisplatin cytotoxicity by inducing ligand displacement. Theoretically, using DMSO as a solvent for cisplatin may reduce its chemotherapeutic effects.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the short version on combining DMSO with cisplatin. Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy drug, and it relies on its exact chemical structure to attack cancer cells. In lab studies (test tube only), DMSO chemically reacts with cisplatin and bumps off part of the molecule, which can blunt how well it kills cancer cells. In plain terms, the worry is that DMSO could make cisplatin less effective, not more toxic.

I want to be honest about the evidence here: this is based on test-tube and animal data, not solid human studies, so it's theoretical. Still, when we're talking about a cancer treatment, we don't gamble with anything that might weaken it. Please loop in your oncology team or pharmacist before using any DMSO product, including skin creams, while you're on cisplatin.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Hall MD, Telma KA, Chang KE, Lee TD, Madigan JP, Lloyd JR, Goldlust IS, Hoeschele JD, Gottesman MM. Say no to DMSO: dimethylsulfoxide inactivates cisplatin, carboplatin, and other platinum complexes. Cancer Res. 2014 Jul 15;74(14):3913-22. doi: 10.1158/00 PubMed
Moderate

PLATINUM AGENTS

2 of 2

Why this applies to Cisplatin

Cisplatin falls under PLATINUM AGENTS — the group Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) interacts with.

Theoretically, using DMSO as a solvent for platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents may reduce chemotherapeutic effects.
In vitro research shows that DMSO reduces the cytotoxicity of cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin by inducing ligand displacement.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the concern with DMSO and cisplatin. Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemo drug, and lab studies suggest DMSO can actually react with the platinum and chemically alter it. In test-tube research, mixing the two caused cisplatin to lose some of its cancer-killing punch. So the worry isn't more side effects, it's that the chemo could work less well, which really matters when you're fighting cancer.

That said, this is based only on cell and lab studies (weak evidence), not on people, so we don't know how much it applies in real life. Cisplatin is given by your oncology team, so don't add any DMSO product, on your skin or otherwise, without first checking with your oncologist or pharmacist.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Hall MD, Telma KA, Chang KE, Lee TD, Madigan JP, Lloyd JR, Goldlust IS, Hoeschele JD, Gottesman MM. Say no to DMSO: dimethylsulfoxide inactivates cisplatin, carboplatin, and other platinum complexes. Cancer Res. 2014 Jul 15;74(14):3913-22. doi: 10.1158/00 PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) Also Interacts With Other Medications

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) has 338 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cisplatin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 338 No known interaction 2,492 (incl. Cisplatin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso). Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cisplatin

This page covers Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cisplatin page lists 90 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acerola (moderate) and Active Hexose Correlated Compound (ahcc) (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 75 moderate · 12 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cisplatin page

“Kidney damage is the risk I would flag first for anyone receiving cisplatin (Platinol-AQ). Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug that already stresses the kidneys, and two of the three major-rated interactions on this list, Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca, involve herbs that can injure the kidneys on their own, stacking harm on an organ t…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cisplatin interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Cisplatin Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)
Top half

#652 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cisplatin
Top half

#1,041 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)

What is Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)?

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Arthritis
  • Sprains and strains
  • Interstitial cystitis (bladder pain)
  • Skin penetration enhancer for other medicines

DMSO is a colorless liquid solvent that people apply to the skin for pain and inflammation, and it is FDA-approved (as a prescription) only for interstitial cystitis placed directly into the bladder. Most over-the-counter uses for pain and arthritis have limited or low-quality evidence, and DMSO can carry impurities or push other chemicals through your skin. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid industrial-grade products.

Read the full Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cisplatin Injection

What Is Cisplatin Injection Used For?

Brand name: Platinol-AQ

Cisplatin Injection is used to treat three types of cancer. For metastatic testicular tumors and metastatic ovarian tumors, it is used as part of combination chemotherapy — alongside other approved cancer medicines — in patients who have already had surgery and/or radiation therapy. For metastatic ovarian tumors, it can also be used alone as a second-line treatment when standard chemotherapy has stopped working and cisplatin has not been tried before.

For advanced bladder cancer (specifically transitional cell bladder cancer) that can no longer be treated with surgery or radiation, Cisplatin Injection is used as a single agent.

See full Cisplatin Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
338Moderate
0Minor
2,491No known interaction
338 Moderate 2,491 No interaction
Moderate

338 interactions

Showing 60 of 338 moderate interactions — see all 338 on the Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) page.

No interaction 2,491 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,491 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) list.

See the full Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) interactions page
See every supplement checked against Cisplatin, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Cisplatin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Cisplatin, ranked by severity Cisplatin Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Cisplatin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) with Cisplatin?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Cisplatin?
Cisplatin belongs to more than one drug category, and Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Cisplatin interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Cisplatin and Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.