Drug & supplement interaction

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) + Raltegravir

Raltegravir brand name: Isentress.

No Known Interaction

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 20, 2026

The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Raltegravir and Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) safety at a glance

Dimethylsulfoxide... overall Use caution Topical use can irritate skin and may carry impurities; only pharmaceutical-grade products should ever be used.

Pregnancy Avoid Safety has not been established, so it is best to avoid during pregnancy.

Breastfeeding Avoid There is not enough safety information, so avoid while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Raltegravir and Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›

How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Raltegravir

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Raltegravir is filed under 4 classifications — including integrase inhibitors, glucuronidated drugs, oral drugs. Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) has documented interactions with 8 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), carboplatin (paraplatin) (moderate) and cholinergic drugs (moderate) — and none of Raltegravir’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) Does Interact With Other Medications

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) has 339 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Raltegravir isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 339 No known interaction 2,491 (incl. Raltegravir)

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.

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do.

Reduced appetite / Stomach pain / Diarrhea / Vomiting / Nausea Additional detail
Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)
“Topically, DMSO might cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and anorexia.

Infusion of hematopoietic stem cells cryopreserved with DMSO might cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.”

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in anorexia.
6 sources cited

6303. Rosenstein ED. Topical agents in the treatment of rheumatic disorders. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 1999;25:899-918. PubMed

6304. Trice JM, Pinals RS. Dimethyl sulfoxide: a review of its use in the rheumatic disorders. Semin Arthritis Rheum 1985;15:45-60. PubMed

6306. Merlini G. Treatment of primary amyloidosis. Semin Hematol 1995;32:60-79.

6308. Thiers BH. Unusual treatments for herpesvirus infections II, herpes zoster. J Am Acad Dermatol 1983;8:433-6. PubMed

6309. Burton WJ, Gould PW, Hursthouse MW, et al. A multicentre trial of Zostrum (5 percent idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide) in herpes zoster. N Z Med J 1981;94:384-6.

6311. Juel Jensen BE, MacCallum FO, Mackenzie AM, Pike MC. Treatment of zoster with idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide. Results of two double-blind controlled trials. Br Med J 1970;4:776-80. PubMed
Raltegravir

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Raltegravir. Read the label on DailyMed ›
Tiredness / Dizziness / Headache Additional detail
Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)
“Topically, DMSO might cause sedation, headache, dizziness, and drowsiness.

Intravenously, DMSO might cause weakness, confusion, lethargy, disorientation, agitation, dysarthria, hypoactive reflexes, decreased consciousness, and encephalopathy.

Infusion of hematopoietic stem cells cryopreserved with DMSO might cause rigors and chills.”

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in cluster headache.
6 sources cited

6303. Rosenstein ED. Topical agents in the treatment of rheumatic disorders. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 1999;25:899-918. PubMed

6304. Trice JM, Pinals RS. Dimethyl sulfoxide: a review of its use in the rheumatic disorders. Semin Arthritis Rheum 1985;15:45-60. PubMed

6306. Merlini G. Treatment of primary amyloidosis. Semin Hematol 1995;32:60-79.

6308. Thiers BH. Unusual treatments for herpesvirus infections II, herpes zoster. J Am Acad Dermatol 1983;8:433-6. PubMed

6309. Burton WJ, Gould PW, Hursthouse MW, et al. A multicentre trial of Zostrum (5 percent idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide) in herpes zoster. N Z Med J 1981;94:384-6.

6311. Juel Jensen BE, MacCallum FO, Mackenzie AM, Pike MC. Treatment of zoster with idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide. Results of two double-blind controlled trials. Br Med J 1970;4:776-80. PubMed
Raltegravir

Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Raltegravir. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) but not commonly for Raltegravir: an irregular heartbeat, a fast or pounding heartbeat, chest pain and flushing.

Effects for Raltegravir come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 16,361 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Raltegravir that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Raltegravir

This page covers Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Raltegravir page lists 33 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Breadfruit (moderate), Brussels Sprout (moderate), Cabbage (moderate) and Calcium (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 22 moderate · 10 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Raltegravir page

“For someone taking raltegravir (Isentress) to keep HIV suppressed, a steady drug level is what blocks rebound and resistance, and this list deserves genuine vigilance. The lone major-rated entry is activated charcoal, which can soak up the medicine in the gut and cut what reaches your blood.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Raltegravir interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir 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

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

29 days ago today

Medication Raltegravir

Steady interest

#2,481 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.

Where does our data come from?

Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) reference on this page ↓
Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 20, 2026. The Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.

Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS.

Supplement

About Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso)

What is 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.

Industrially produced chemical compound (a byproduct of wood pulp processing) · Topical cream, gel, liquid solution; bladder instillation solution (prescription); industrial-grade and pharmaceutical-grade liquids

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) record says about it on its own.

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso): dosing

There is no single standardized over-the-counter dose of DMSO for pain or arthritis.

From our Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) monograph & all interactions

Medication

About Raltegravir

What Is Raltegravir Used For?

Brand name: Isentress

Raltegravir — available as Isentress and as the generic raltegravir tablet — is used to treat HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. It is always used together with other antiretroviral (anti-HIV) medicines, never on its own.

Isentress is approved for adults and for children weighing at least 2 kg. Raltegravir tablets are approved for adults and for children weighing at least 25 kg who can swallow a tablet whole.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Raltegravir

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (16,418 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Foetal exposure during pregnancy 1,078 reports

Depression 1,017 reports

Anxiety 966 reports

Emotional distress 789 reports

Anhedonia 708 reports

See full Raltegravir 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

339Moderate

0Minor

2,490No known interaction

339 Moderate 2,490 No interaction

Moderate

339 interactions

Showing 60 of 339 moderate interactions — see all 339 on the Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) page.

No interaction 2,490 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 2,490 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) list.

See the full Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) interactions page

See every supplement checked against Raltegravir, ranked by severity

Evidence & sources

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) References

The 27 references that drive our Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Ludwig CU, Stoll HR, Obrist R, Obrecht JP. Prevention of cytotoxic drug induced skin ulcers with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and alpha-tocopherol. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol 1987;23:327-9.
Barker SB, Matthews PN, Philip PF, Williams G. Prospective study of intravesical dimethyl sulphoxide in the treatment of chronic inflammatory bladder disease. Br J Urol 1987;59:142-4. PubMed
Fowler JE Jr. Prospective study of intravesical dimthyl sulfoxide in treatment of suspected early interstitial cystitis. Urology 1981;18:21-6.
Shirley SW, Stewart BH, Mirelman S. Dimethyl sulfoxide in treatment of inflammatory genitourinary disorders. Urology 1978;11:215-20. PubMed
Marshall LF, Camp PE, Bowers SA. Dimethyl sulfoxide for the treatment of intracranial hypertension: a preliminary trial. Neurosurg 1984;14:659-63. DOI
Karaca M, Bilgin UY, Akar M, de la Torre JC. Dimethyl sulphoxide lowers ICP after head trauma. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1991;40:113-4.
Rosenstein ED. Topical agents in the treatment of rheumatic disorders. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 1999;25:899-918. PubMed
Trice JM, Pinals RS. Dimethyl sulfoxide: a review of its use in the rheumatic disorders. Semin Arthritis Rheum 1985;15:45-60. PubMed
Merlini G. Treatment of primary amyloidosis. Semin Hematol 1995;32:60-79.
Thiers BH. Unusual treatments for herpesvirus infections II, herpes zoster. J Am Acad Dermatol 1983;8:433-6. PubMed
Burton WJ, Gould PW, Hursthouse MW, et al. A multicentre trial of Zostrum (5 percent idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide) in herpes zoster. N Z Med J 1981;94:384-6.
Juel Jensen BE, MacCallum FO, Mackenzie AM, Pike MC. Treatment of zoster with idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide. Results of two double-blind controlled trials. Br Med J 1970;4:776-80. PubMed
Wildenhoff KE, Esmann V, Ipsen J, Harving H, et al. Treatment of trigeminal and thoracic zoster with idoxuridine. Scand J Infect Dis 1981;13:257-62. PubMed
Williams HJ, Furst DE, Dahl SL, et al. Double-blind, multicenter controlled trial comparing topical dimethyl sulfoxide and normal saline for treatment of hand ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Rheum 1985;28:308-14. PubMed
Takacs T, Montet JC. In vitro dissolution of cholesterol biliary stones. Gut 1995;37:157-8. PubMed
Rowley SD. Hematopoietic stem cell processing and cryopreservation. J Clin Apheresis 1992;7:132-4. PubMed
Zambelli A, Poggi G, Da Prada G, et al. Clinical toxicity of cryopreserved circulation progenitor cells infusion. Anticancer Res 1998;18:4705-8.
Wolf P, Simon M. Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) induced serum hyperosmolality. Clin Biochem 1983;16:261-2. PubMed
Jacob SW, Herschler R. Pharmacology of DMSO. Cryobiology 1986;23:14-27. PubMed
Hucker HB, Ahmad PM, Miller EA, et al. Metabolism of dimethyl sulphoxide to dimethyl sulphone in the rat and man. Nature 1966;209:619-20. PubMed
Brien S, Prescott P, Lewith G. Meta-analysis of the related nutritional supplements dimethyl sulfoxide and methylsulfonylmethane in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2009 May 27. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
Shirley, H. H., Lundergan, M. K., Williams, H. J., and Spruance, S. L. Lack of ocular changes with dimethyl sulfoxide therapy of scleroderma. Pharmacotherapy 1989;9(3):165-168. PubMed
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
Clinoril (sulindac) prescribing information. Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, 2005. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2010/017911s074lbl.pdf. Accessed 7/27/2020.
Visudyne (verteporfin) prescribing information. JHP Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Rochester, MI, 2016. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/021119s027lbl.pdf. Accessed 7/27/2020.
Capriotti K, Capriotti JA. Dimethyl sulfoxide: history, chemistry, and clinical utility in dermatology. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2012;5(9):24-6.
DOMOSO SOLUTION (90% Dimethyl Sulfoxide). Fort Dodge Animal Health, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Avaliable at: https://www.zoetisus.com/_locale-assets/mcm-portal-assets/products/pdf/domoso_solution_pi.pdf. Accessed 8/3/2020.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) with Raltegravir?

We do not list a known interaction between Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.

Do Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir have any of the same side effects?

Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 8 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.

How was the Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) and Raltegravir combination checked?

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Raltegravir is filed under 4 classifications, and Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) has documented interactions with 8 drug classes — none of Raltegravir's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.

Does Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) interact with any other medications?

Yes. Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) has 339 documented drug interactions in our database — Raltegravir is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.

Does Raltegravir interact with any supplements?

Yes. Raltegravir has documented interactions with 33 supplements in our database — Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) is not one of them. The Raltegravir interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Where next

Keep Exploring

Dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Raltegravir drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Raltegravir supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Raltegravir, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 27 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Raltegravir 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.