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Povidone-Iodine is a broad-spectrum antiseptic agent widely used in various medical settings for its potent antimicrobial properties.
Povidone-iodine is a widely used broad-spectrum antiseptic. It is a complex of povidone (polyvinylpyrrolidone), hydrogen iodide, and elemental iodine.[1] Over-the-counter povidone-iodine solutions are labeled as first aid to help prevent infection in minor cuts, scrapes, and burns, and povidone-iodine scrubs are also used for preoperative skin preparation.[2][1]
Povidone-iodine is thought to act by iodination, oxidizing lipids of the microbial cell membrane and forming salts with microbial proteins. It has microbicidal activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria (including spores and M. tuberculosis), fungi, viruses, and protozoa. It acts rapidly after application to the skin but has minimal residual activity, and its microbicidal activity is lost when it comes into contact with blood or sputum.[1]
Povidone-iodine can stain skin, hair, and clothing, can cause irritant contact dermatitis when left on the skin for prolonged periods, and is contraindicated in people allergic to iodine or product ingredients.[1] Iodine from povidone-iodine is minimally absorbed through intact adult skin, but absorption can be extensive with some routes, such as vaginal use.[3] Bayview compounds povidone-iodine preparations on a prescriber's order.
Compounded at Bayview
Patient guides for the preparations we make most often. Each one is compounded to order and requires a prescription.
For prescribers
Every preparation in our formulary that contains this ingredient. Strength, base and dose form are set by the prescription.
A dilute solution of povidone-iodine, the brown antiseptic used to prepare skin before surgery, prepared by Bayview as a metered nasal spray at 0.5%, 1%, or 1.25%. No manufacturer makes a povidone-iodine nasal spray, so it is compounded to a prescriber's order. It is not FDA-approved and requires a prescription.
Other salt forms of this molecule, and ingredients commonly compounded alongside it.
This page describes an active pharmaceutical ingredient, not a finished drug product. Bayview Pharmacy compounds preparations containing it only on a prescriber's order for an individual patient.
Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved, and the FDA has not evaluated them for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality. Nothing on this page is a claim that any preparation is effective for any condition.
A valid prescription is required. Availability depends on Bayview's licensure in your state. This page is general information, not medical advice — discuss your situation with a licensed healthcare provider.
Our pharmacists work with prescribers to build preparations around a patient's dose, form and tolerances. Ask us what is possible with this ingredient.
