HELMITOL OMITTED FROM N. N. R.
Report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry
Helmitol is hexamethylenamin methylencitrate. It was introduced with the claim that it was superior to hexamethylenamin—which acts in acid fluids only—in that it is equally efficient whether the urine is alkaline or acid.
In 1918 The Bayer Company, which then marketed the product in the United States, was notified that the Council questioned the claims made for Helmitol and desired evidence to substantiate them. In 1919 the same notification was sent the Winthrop Chemical Company, which in the meantime had secured control of the product. Pending the submission of the evidence, the Council continued the acceptance of Helmitol for New and Nonofficial Remedies with the statement that the actions and uses of hexamethylenamin anhydromethylencitrate were those of hexamethylenamin.
W. A. Puckner, Secretary.
The following report on Helmitol was made by the referee in charge of hexamethylenamin compounds and preparations, adopted by the Council and sent the Winthrop Chemical Company:
“Helmitol is a compound of anhydromethylencitric acid and hexamethylenamin. It was introduced with the claim that it would be antiseptic even in alkaline urine. The Council did not entirely trust the evidence, but continued to list Helmitol in N. N. R., merely as a salt of hexamethylenamin, until satisfactory data should become available. These have now been furnished by Hanzlik (Journal of Urology 4:145) who has shown that:
“1. The alkalinity required to split off formaldehyd from anhydromethylencitric acid is greater than exists in the urine, even in advanced ammoniacal fermentation.
“2. Even if any formaldehyd were liberated in ammoniacal fermentation, it would at once become inactive by combining with ammonia.