Some Basics Regarding The Use Of Lugols Iodine Solution

By Elaine Guthrie


Iodine is one of the most widely used elements both domestically and industrially. A French physician was the person to ever use lugols iodine solution in the year 1829. He prepared it by mixing elemental iodine with potassium iodide and dissolving in water. Today, the resultant compound is widely used in domestic and industrial application. Its use has been especially appreciated in scientific research. It is also known by other terms such as Markodine, iodine potassium iodide and Strong solution.

Markodine is available as an over the counter formulations such as gels, tinctures and ointments. These formulations are mainly designed for topical use where there is a need to disinfect minor skin injuries. It is common to mix the iodine with another ingredient known as povidone so as to increase the effectiveness. Another major application is the use in disinfection of water especially in emergency situation.

Lugols is widely used in biochemical experiments. The most notable is the testing of starch presence in organic molecules. When a compound containing starch is placed in the presence of iodine there is a characteristic blue black reaction. This is due to the interaction of the compound with polysaccharide molecules found in starch. A similar reaction is seen with a disease known as amyloidosis.

The solution is widely used in cervical cancer screening. In this test, it is applied on the vaginal wall and on the cervix under the exposure of an instrument known as a colposcope. Since normal vaginal and cervical tissues have a high amount of glycogen, they will stain brown. Abnormal or suspicious tissues do not stain adequately and appear paler. It is the light staining areas that are used to provide biopsy specimens for histological examination.

The solution has been used in a number of selected patients suffering from Graves disease. The disease is a severe form of hyperthyroidism. Administering the solution during thyroidectomy (removal of thyroid gland), helps in reducing blood loss. This benefit is, however, not seen in patients whose thyroid hormonal levels are within the normal ranges or in those that are on medication.

One of the earliest uses of the solution was the treatment of gout. With the discovery of better drugs, it has been dropped from the list of the commonly used drugs for the condition. The same trend has been witnessed in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. In the latter case, it has fallen out of favour due to its ability to inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis. This is termed the Wolff Chaikoff phenomenon.

Macroalgae require elemental iodine for growth and survival. The element is also important for other coral reef inhabitants. For these reasons, it is heavily used in the maintenance of marine ecosystems. Its effects are mainly due to its ability to significantly reduce the number of harmful bacteria and parasites. The other major benefits are the prevention of coral reef bleaching and polyp expansion.

Excessive amounts of lugols may cause harm to body cells to varying extents. High concentrations have been reported to cause destruction of the stomach mucosa during endoscopic examination. However, it should be noted that these are rare incidences.




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