Novasurol

NOVASUROL, Novasurol, a double compound of the sodium salt of oxymercuri-ortho-chlorphen-oxyacetic acid with diethyl-malonylurea (veronal), C₁₆H₁₆O₆N₂NaHgCl, is a white amorphous odorless powder; it dissolves well in water, and is insoluble in alcohol and ether; it contains mercury (33.9%) in a non-ionized form, as a result of which (which is especially valuable for therapeutic use) it does not cause coagulation even of a 20% protein solution, and therefore can be introduced into the bloodstream, into the thickness of muscles, and under the skin without causing coagulation of tissue proteins. Based on experiments on animals, it must be assumed that Novasurol exhibits both extrarenal (experiments on animals with removed kidneys) and renal (experiments with an isolated kidney) effects on diuresis. Clinical observations have shown that 1 to 2 hours after intravenous and 3 to 5 hours after intramuscular administration of Novasurol, patients develop increased diuresis, which lasts from 8 to 24 hours; at the same time, a significant amount of fluid is excreted, sometimes reaching 5 to 8 liters; then diuresis usually weakens, and the amount of urine in the following days may even become lower than normal. In therapy, Novasurol is used as an exceptionally strong diuretic 1) in cardiac patients in the presence of significant edema and 2) in cirrhosis of the liver. Novasurol is also used in syphilis when other mercury preparations are undesirable. There are indications of good results obtained after injections of Novasurol in serous pleuritic exudates in luetics. Dosage: as a diuretic, a single subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intravenous injection of 0.75-1.0-1.5-2.0 cm³ of a 10% solution of Novasurol is proposed. In lues, 1 cm³ is injected, sometimes increased to 2 cm³ of a 10% solution of Novasurol; the course of treatment consists of 10-15 injections with intervals of 5 days between individual injections. Contraindications: bilateral kidney diseases, especially nephro-nephritis, sharp exhaustion of the cardiovascular system, and general nutritional depletion. Symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, and stomatitis are observed quite frequently; severe forms of poisoning, expressed in nephritis and hemorrhagic colitis, are observed rarely. Novasurol is available on the market in the form of a 10% solution in ampoules of 1.2 and 2.2 cm³. Because of the aforementioned side properties, Novasurol has recently been almost abandoned and replaced by salyrgan, which is very close to it but less toxic.

Author(s): L. Medvedkova