Chemicals and Drugs

Caustics

Strong alkaline chemicals that destroy soft body tissues resulting in a deep, penetrating type of burn, in contrast to corrosives, that result in a more superficial type of damage via chemical means or inflammation. Caustics are usually hydroxides of light metals. SODIUM HYDROXIDE and potassium hydroxide are the most widely used caustic agents in industry. Medically, they have been used externally to remove diseased or dead tissues and destroy warts and small tumors. The accidental ingestion of products (household and industrial) containing caustic ingredients results in thousands of injuries per year.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

Strong alkaline chemicals that destroy soft body tissues resulting in a deep, penetrating type of burn, in contrast to corrosives, that result in a more superficial type of damage via chemical means or inflammation. Caustics are usually hydroxides of light metals. SODIUM HYDROXIDE and potassium hydroxide are the most widely used caustic agents in industry. Medically, they have been used externally to remove diseased or dead tissues and destroy warts and small tumors. The accidental ingestion of products (household and industrial) containing caustic ingredients results in thousands of injuries per year.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

3 entry terms
  • Caustic
  • Corrosive
  • Corrosives

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

18 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings administration & dosage, adverse effects, analysis, chemical synthesis, chemistry, classification, economics, history, isolation & purification, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, poisoning, radiation effects, standards, supply & distribution, therapeutic use, toxicity.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

caustic injury: index CAUSTICS /tox + BURNS, CHEMICAL + organ /inj; see also note on ESOPHAGEAL STENOSIS

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. D27.720.185w
  2. D27.888w.569.185w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QV 612

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Caustics. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D002424. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D002424
  2. Caustics. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrosive_substance
  3. Caustics. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q258158