Zwischen Wissenschaft und medialem Hype, Teil 1: 150 Jahre Methylenblau

Abstract

Methylene blue was originally developed as a synthetic dye in the late 19th century. Due to its pharmacological properties, it quickly became highly valued and was used to treat malaria as early as 1891. Today, methylene blue has a wide range of applications. In diagnostics, for instance, it is used to detect bacteria and cell types. In therapy, it is used to treat methemoglobinemia, and its effectiveness is based on a redox cycling process. It is also used off-label to treat tumors and infections and in emergency and intensive care medicine.