5 ms·

The discovery of the treatment in the methylene blue dye is quite fascinating. How exactly did someone figure that out for such a rare condition? And imagine be

The discovery of the treatment in the methylene blue dye is quite fascinating. How exactly did someone figure that out for such a rare condition? And imagine being deep blue all your life and everyone knowing you as blue, then you take this blue pill and bam, you're pink as can be. Must have seemed like practical magic.

Nition 5y ago
The general condition of methemoglobinemia isn't as rare as this family's particular genetic condition, so the methylene blue treatment was already known. I'm not sure when they first discovered that methylene blue can treat methemoglobinemia - methylene blue was discovered in 1876, but it does all sorts of things.
et2o 5y ago
Methylene blue has a fascinating history in medicine. It was already well known as a treatment for methemoglobinemia however. It's a ready electron acceptor. It's used for a few other conditions today, without a lot of evidence.
- _spduchamp 5y ago
  Yves Klein used Methylene blue in the drinks at one of his shows to great effect... https://socks-studio.com/2019/11/23/iris-clert-yves-klein-the-void-arman-the-full-up/ https://socks-studio.com/2019/11/23/iris-clert-yves-klein-th...
folli 5y ago
It's a known cure for Methemoglobinemia: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000562.htm https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000562.htm
heavyset_go 5y ago
> And imagine being deep blue all your life and everyone knowing you as blue, then you take this blue pill and bam, you're pink as can be. Must have seemed like practical magic. Almost sounds like homeopathy, without the dilution, that actually works.
- ocimbote 5y ago
  So, not homeopathy?
  - boomboomsubban 5y ago
    I get their point, homeopathy has two bs gimmicks. The first is to use a substance that causes the ailment as a cure, the second is to replace that substance with water/sugar and the idea of the substance. Using a blue substance to cure someone who's blue is similar to the first gimmick, but here they actually use the substance and medically tested it.
    - ocimbote 5y ago
      For the sake of clarity: I will not stand on the side of homeopathy, ever. It's placebo effect marketing rather than evidence-based science and hence not worth my money.
      - boomboomsubban 5y ago
        I didn't think you did, but valid things can share traits with bullshit and still be valid things.
        ocimbote 5y ago
        This is correct and too often ignored. Bullshit owns nothing:)
      - dr_dshiv 5y ago
        What about when placebo-based medicine offers better patient outcomes, for certain disorders? E.g., for sleep medicine without side effects? We used homeopathy for my daughters car sickness and it worked great.
        boomboomsubban 5y ago
robbedpeter 5y ago
Methylene blue was widely used in malaria treatment, and after its relative safety was figured out, ease of access meant doctors went nuts trying it out on all sorts of conditions. And it worked as a treatment for all sorts of things, and was issued to soldiers in the field through wwii. It's a MAOI and shows up in nootropic stacks and discussions all the time. Makes you pee blue, can treat effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, etc. There were lots of opportunities for someone with blue skin to have encountered the stuff.

Nition 5y ago

The general condition of methemoglobinemia isn't as rare as this family's particular genetic condition, so the methylene blue treatment was already known. I'm not sure when they first discovered that methylene blue can treat methemoglobinemia - methylene blue was discovered in 1876, but it does all sorts of things.

et2o 5y ago

Methylene blue has a fascinating history in medicine. It was already well known as a treatment for methemoglobinemia however. It's a ready electron acceptor. It's used for a few other conditions today, without a lot of evidence.

_spduchamp 5y ago
Yves Klein used Methylene blue in the drinks at one of his shows to great effect... https://socks-studio.com/2019/11/23/iris-clert-yves-klein-the-void-arman-the-full-up/ https://socks-studio.com/2019/11/23/iris-clert-yves-klein-th...

folli 5y ago

It's a known cure for Methemoglobinemia: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000562.htm https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000562.htm

heavyset_go 5y ago

> And imagine being deep blue all your life and everyone knowing you as blue, then you take this blue pill and bam, you're pink as can be. Must have seemed like practical magic. Almost sounds like homeopathy, without the dilution, that actually works.

ocimbote 5y ago
So, not homeopathy?
- boomboomsubban 5y ago
  I get their point, homeopathy has two bs gimmicks. The first is to use a substance that causes the ailment as a cure, the second is to replace that substance with water/sugar and the idea of the substance. Using a blue substance to cure someone who's blue is similar to the first gimmick, but here they actually use the substance and medically tested it.
  - ocimbote 5y ago
    For the sake of clarity: I will not stand on the side of homeopathy, ever. It's placebo effect marketing rather than evidence-based science and hence not worth my money.
    - boomboomsubban 5y ago
      I didn't think you did, but valid things can share traits with bullshit and still be valid things.
      - ocimbote 5y ago
        This is correct and too often ignored. Bullshit owns nothing:)
    - dr_dshiv 5y ago
      What about when placebo-based medicine offers better patient outcomes, for certain disorders? E.g., for sleep medicine without side effects? We used homeopathy for my daughters car sickness and it worked great.
      - boomboomsubban 5y ago

robbedpeter 5y ago

Methylene blue was widely used in malaria treatment, and after its relative safety was figured out, ease of access meant doctors went nuts trying it out on all sorts of conditions. And it worked as a treatment for all sorts of things, and was issued to soldiers in the field through wwii. It's a MAOI and shows up in nootropic stacks and discussions all the time. Makes you pee blue, can treat effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, etc. There were lots of opportunities for someone with blue skin to have encountered the stuff.