Isosulfan Blue: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Isosulfan Blue is a medicine sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Available as
- Injectable · Solution
- Sold as
- 2 products — Isosulfan Blue and Lymphazurin
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
How Isosulfan Blue is dosed
From the FDA label for Isosulfan Blue (application ANDA216090). Other isosulfan blue products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Isosulfan blue injection 1% is to be administered subcutaneously, one-half (1/2) mL into three (3) interdigital spaces of each extremity per study. A maximum dose of 3 mL (30 mg) isosulfan blue is, therefore, injected ( 2.1 ). 2.1 Subcutaneous Administration Isosulfan blue injection 1% is to be administered subcutaneously, one-half (1/2) mL into three (3) interdigital spaces of each extremity per study. A maximum dose of 3 mL (30 mg) isosulfan blue is, therefore, injected.
Everything below is the FDA label for Isosulfan Blue (injectable). Isosulfan Blue is also sold as solution, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Isosulfan Blue side effects
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Hypersensitivity reactions occurring in approximately 2% of patients and include life-threatening anaphylactic reactions with respiratory distress, shock, angioedema, urticaria, pruritus. A death has been reported following IV administration of a similar compound ( 6 ). To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Novadoz Pharmaceuticals LLC at 1-855-668-2369 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Postmarketing Experience Hypersensitivity Reactions: Case series report an overall incidence of hypersensitivity reactions in approximately 2% of patients. Life-threatening anaphylactic reactions have occurred. Manifestations include respiratory distress, shock, angioedema, urticaria, pruritus. A death has been reported following administration of a similar compound employed to estimate the depth of a severe burn. Reactions are more likely to occur in patients with a personal or family history of bronchial asthma, significant allergies, drug reactions or previous reactions to triphenylmethane dyes [see Warnings and Precautions (5) ]. Laboratory Tests: Isosulfan blue injection 1% interferes with measurements of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry and of methemoglobin by gas analyzer [see Warnings and Precautions (5 )]. Skin: transient or long-term (tattooing) blue coloration.
Who shouldn’t take Isosulfan Blue
Isosulfan blue injection 1% is contraindicated in those individuals with known hypersensitivity to triphenylmethane or related compounds. Hypersensitivity to triphenylmethane or related compounds ( 4 ).
Isosulfan Blue drug interactions
No drug interactions have been identified with isosulfan blue injection 1%. No drug interactions have been identified for isosulfan blue injection 1% ( 7 ).
Every isosulfan blue product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Solution | No data | — | View → |
How long isosulfan blue keeps
No isosulfan blue label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does isosulfan blue expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about isosulfan blue
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 75 reports naming isosulfan blue, and the FDA flagged 73% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- anaphylactic reaction33 reports
- hypotension20 reports
- incorrect route of drug administration9 reports
- skin discolouration8 reports
- rash7 reports
- drug hypersensitivity5 reports
- angioedema4 reports
- bradycardia4 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean isosulfan blue caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Isosulfan Blue?
Isosulfan Blue is a medication supplied as an injection, solution.
Can you take isosulfan blue with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run isosulfan blue against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is isosulfan blue sold under?
We track 2 isosulfan blue-containing products in the U.S.: Isosulfan Blue and Lymphazurin. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does isosulfan blue come in?
Across the brands we track, isosulfan blue is currently marketed as injectable and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic isosulfan blue?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic isosulfan blue product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Isosulfan Blue: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/isosulfan-blue
- MLA
- “Isosulfan Blue: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/isosulfan-blue.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for isosulfan blue on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.