methylene blue
Also known as methylthioninium chloride, Basic Blue 9, C.I. basic blue 9, Lowacryl blue 9, Methylene blue anhydrous, methylenium ceruleum, C.I. 52015
chemical compound
Key facts
- Trade names
- Urelene blue, Provayblue, Proveblue, others
- Other names
- CI 52015, basic blue 9
- Ahfs drugs com
- Monograph
- License data
- United States</span>"}]]}'>US DailyMed : Provayblue
- Pregnancy category
- Australia</span>"}]]}'>AU : D
- Routes of administration
- By mouth , intravenous
- Atc code
- V03AB17 ( WHO ) V04CG05 ( WHO )
- Legal status
- United States</span>"}]]}'>US : ℞-only European Union</span>"}]]}'>EU : Rx-only
- Elimination half life
- 5–24 hours ( intravenous therapy</span>"}]]}'>IV Tooltip intravenous therapy )
- Excretion
- Renal, In rats: 18%( Oral administration</span>"}]]}'>PO Tooltip Oral administration ), 28% ( </span>"}]]}'>IV )
- Cas number
- 61-73-4
~24 min read
Article
Methylthioninium chloride, commonly called methylene blue, is a salt used as a dye and as a medication. As a medication, it is mainly used to treat methemoglobinemia. It has previously been used for treating cyanide poisoning and urinary tract infections, but this use is no longer recommended. It has also been used to treat cases of malaria for over a century.
Methylene blue is typically given by injection into a vein. Common side effects include headache, nausea, and vomiting.
Gallery (9)
Connections
Categories
AntidotesChloridesCleanup tagged articles with a reason field from February 2025Dimethylamino compoundsDrugs with non-standard legal statusECHA InfoCard ID from WikidataGenetics techniquesHistologyInfobox drug articles with non-default infobox titleMonoamine oxidase inhibitorsMultiple chemicals in an infobox that need indexingMultiple chemicals in Infobox drug