Magnesium oil (also referred to as transdermal magnesium, magnesium hexahydrate) is a compound of magnesium chloride dissolved in six molecules of water, with magnesium as the

alkaline earth metal The alkaline earth metals are six chemical elements in group 2 of the periodic table. They are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra).. The elements have very similar properties: they are all s ...

and

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between them. Chlorine is ...

as the

nonmetal In chemistry, a nonmetal is a chemical element that generally lacks a predominance of metallic properties; they range from colorless gases (like hydrogen) to shiny solids (like carbon, as graphite). The electrons in nonmetals behave differentl ...

. In reality, it is not a "true" oil, as it is not composed of one or more hydrocarbons. Magnesium oil is actually magnesium chloride hexahydrate . Magnesium oil can be applied to the skin as an alternative to taking a magnesium supplement by mouth, and it is claimed to have health benefits, such as for the treatment of magnesium deficiency, to relieve muscle pain and ache (especially headaches), and to enhance relaxation. However, such use has been described as "scientifically unsupported" due to lack of any convincing data that magnesium is absorbed in significant amounts through the skin. It can also be found as a spray for the mentioned purposes. Magnesium is used in over 600 cellular reactions within the human body, including the immune system. Magnesium oil, with a chemical formula of has a formula mass of 203.30 g/mol.

Synthesis

When magnesium (Mg) reacts with one molecule of

(), the magnesium chloride salt is forming. The electron deficient magnesium has a potential for further reactions to become stable. Dissolving this chemical, magnesium chloride (), in six molecules of water () results in the successful synthesis of "magnesium oil." The formation of magnesium oil, is depicted below:

Process of isolation

In a synthesis process known as the Dow process, magnesium chloride () is most commonly extracted from sea water by precipitating the molecule as magnesium hydroxide , followed by its conversion to the with the addition of hydrochloric acid (HCl( aq)). The solid-solid separation of from

NaCl Sodium chloride , commonly known as salt (although sea salt also contains other chemical salts), is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. With molar masses of 22.99 and 35.45 g/ ...

is accompanied by the usage of

organic Organic may refer to: * Organic, of or relating to an organism, a living entity * Organic, of or relating to an anatomical organ Chemistry * Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or is the product ...

solvents such as tetrachloromethane or

iodomethane Iodomethane, also called methyl iodide, and commonly abbreviated "MeI", is the chemical compound with the formula CH3I. It is a dense, colorless, volatile liquid. In terms of chemical structure, it is related to methane by replacement of one ...

, or the combination of these two organic solvents.

Past applications

Transdermal drug absorption has been part of human history for centuries from the time ancient Egyptians among other started using saunas. Magnesium delivered through the skin aids as a muscle relaxant and skin rejuvenation. Transdermal application of magnesium oil has been more popular than magnesium pills due to the ability of the oil to directly circulate through the bloodstream after its administration using skin-adhesive patches.

Toxicology

Those with kidney problems are advised to avoid using magnesium oil.

Synthesis

Process of isolation

Past applications

Toxicology

References

Further reading