Application of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) oral and nasal spray

Application of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) oral and nasal spray

1. Looking through the paper materials, as early as 2021, Indian medical institutions began to use povidone-iodine (PVP-I) as a spray for the mouth and nose to protect medical workers. Povidone-iodine is cheap and easy to obtain, without patent barriers.

2. Let's start with popular science: Povidone-iodine and iodine tincture are strictly speaking complexed iodine, mainly because the composition of the complexing agent is different. Iodine tincture is a general name, and povidone-iodine is the most commonly used variety of iodine tincture. Iodine tincture is a complex of chlorhexidine alcohol and iodine plus a surfactant, while povidone-iodine is a complex of iodine and PVP. The effective iodine concentration of iodine tincture is 0.2%, while the effective iodine concentration of povidone-iodine is 5%-1%. The objects of use are different. Iodine tincture is an external skin disinfectant, while povidone-iodine is often used as a skin and mucous membrane disinfectant.

3. According to the current reports, the concentration of povidone iodine is 0.6%, which is packaged in a nasal spray bottle. 20 ml is used for 20-30 days. It is very cheap. I calculated the cost of a bottle to be 4 yuan and then used for oral and nasal mucosa. Although it is crude, it seems to be quite effective. However, it is not recommended for people with thyroid disease. The method of use is to spray 2-3 times in each nostril and 1-3 times in the throat, with an interval of 3-4 hours.