Potassium Permanganate is a chemical compound with medicinal use for the cleaning of wounds, treating skin conditions, and disinfecting water. It is a strong oxidizer, capable of starting fires when in contract with oxidizable materials.
Medicinal Use. Skin Infections
Potassium permanganate can irritate or even burn the skin when used in strong solutions. It must be carefully prepared into very dilute solutions before use. Only a small amount is needed to provide relief from skin infections including canker sores, ulcers, abscesses, acne, dermatitis, eczema, vaginal thrush, and vulvovaginitis.
Apply a small amount on small wounds and soak larger areas in a very dilute solution. If necessary, a dilute potassium permanganate water bath can be used. Compresses can also be used.
Wound Cleansing
Cleaning wounds with dilute concentrations of potassium permanganate kills bacteria, funguses, and viruses. This prevents wound infections.
Fungal Infections
Fungal infections such as athlete’s foot is easily treated by soaking the foot in a dilute solution of potassium permanganate for about 15 minutes, twice a day, for two or three weeks. These soaks kill or inhibit the growth of the fungus. The patient should be aware that the treatment will temporarily stain the foot brown, but normal color will return when the soaks are finished.
Cholera Prevention
Potassium permanganate is an effective way to sanitize water for drinking
Clean food and drinking water is necessary to prevent infectious diseases such as cholera and dysentery. To prepare water for drinking with potassium permanganate, add permanganate granules to 1 gallon (4 Liters) of water, one or two at a time, until the water turns pink. Allow the water to sit for 30 minutes before drinking or using. The water is safe to drink while the pink color remains. If the color is purple, you have added too much permanganate and the water is unsafe for drinking. Add more water to dilute it until the color is pink.
How to Prepare
Potassium permanganate must be dissolved and diluted by clean water before using.
Dissolve one 400 mg tablet or granules in 1 gallon (4 liters) of water. Use the water to soak weeping skiing wounds and infections for 1 hour, but no more.
Use potassium permanganate as a short-term solution while treating the underlying conditions. Do not use potassium permanganate internally or in the eyes.
Other Uses
Water purification, as described above under prevention of cholera. Potassium permanganate is also useful for starting fires.
Warning
Potassium permanganate is an aggressive oxidizer and will readily start fires when in contact with suitable materials. It must be stored in a non-reactive plastic bottle. Strong solutions can cause burns. Dilute the solutions as recommended. Potassium permanganate will stain almost everything it comes into contact with a nice shade of pink or purple.
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