Phenylmercuric nitrate is an
organomercury
Organomercury refers to the group of organometallic compounds that contain mercury. Typically the Hg–C bond is stable toward air and moisture but sensitive to light. Important organomercury compounds are the methylmercury(II) cation, CH3Hg+; ...
compound with powerful
antiseptic
An antiseptic (from Greek ἀντί ''anti'', "against" and σηπτικός ''sēptikos'', "putrefactive") is an antimicrobial substance or compound that is applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putre ...
and
antifungal
An antifungal medication, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis (thrush), serious systemic infections such as crypto ...
effects. It was once commonly used as a
topical
A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...
solution for disinfecting
wound
A wound is a rapid onset of injury that involves laceration, lacerated or puncture wound, punctured skin (an ''open'' wound), or a bruise, contusion (a ''closed'' wound) from blunt force physical trauma, trauma or compression. In pathology, a '' ...
s, but as with all organomercury compounds it is highly toxic,
especially to the kidneys, and is no longer used in this application. However it is still used in low concentrations as a preservative in
eye drops
Eye drops or eyedrops are liquid drops applied directly to the surface of the eye usually in small amounts such as a single drop or a few drops. Eye drops usually contain saline to match the salinity of the eye. Drops containing only saline ...
for
ophthalmic use, making it one of the few organomercury derivatives remaining in current medical use.
See also
*
Merbromin
Merbromin (marketed as Mercurochrome, Merbromine, Mercurocol, Sodium mercurescein, Asceptichrome, Supercrome, Brocasept and Cinfacromin) is an organomercuric disodium salt compound used as a topical antiseptic for minor cuts and scrapes and as ...
*
Phenylmercury acetate
Phenylmercuric acetate is an organomercury compound used as a preservative, disinfectant, and antitranspirant.
Properties
Phenylmercuric acetate forms colorless, lustrous crystals, and is soluble in ethanol, benzene, acetic acid, and sparingly ...
*
Phenylmercuric borate
Phenylmercuric borate is a topical antiseptic and disinfectant that is soluble in water, ethanol and glycerol.
It was used until the 1990s as an active ingredient in disinfectants and in the field of wound treatment for the skin, mouth and throat ...
*
Thiomersal
Thiomersal (INN), or thimerosal (USAN, JAN), is an organomercury compound. It is a well-established antiseptic and antifungal agent.
The pharmaceutical corporation Eli Lilly and Company gave thiomersal the trade name Merthiolate. It has been u ...
References
Antiseptics
Organomercury compounds
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