Methaemoglobin Production and Reduction by Methylene Blue and the Interaction of Methylene Blue with Sodium Nitrite in vivo

Methylene blue, at high concentrations, interferes with the estimation of methaemoglobin using the IL 282 CO-oximeter: the dye does not interfere with the method of Evelyn & Malloy for determination of methaemoglobin. In beagle bitches methylene blue causes both methaemoglobinogenesis and methaemoglobin reduction, the effect of the former being to delay the decline of methaemoglobin levels, when methylene blue is used to reverse the methaemoglobinaemia produced by sodium nitrite.