Editing Dextran (section)

===Other medical uses===
* Dextran is used in some [[eye drop]]s as a lubricant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.medicines.org.uk/EMC/medicine/74/SPC/Tears+Naturale/#CLINICAL_PARTS|title=Tears Naturale - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (eMC)|website=www.medicines.org.uk}}</ref> and in certain intravenous fluids to solubilize other factors, such as iron (in a solution known as Iron Dextran).
*[[Intravenous therapy|Intravenous solution]]s with dextran function both as [[volume expander]]s and means of [[parenteral nutrition]]. Such a solution provides an osmotically neutral fluid that once in the body is digested by cells into glucose and free water. It is occasionally used to replace lost [[blood]] in emergency situations, when replacement blood is not available,<ref name="Human">{{cite web|title=Allene Rosalind Jeanes|url=http://humantouchofchemistry.com/allene-rosalind-jeanes.htm|publisher=Human Touch of Chemistry|access-date=13 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514101724/http://humantouchofchemistry.com/allene-rosalind-jeanes.htm|archive-date=14 May 2014}}</ref><ref name=Ogilvie>{{cite book|last1=Ogilvie|first1=Marilyn|last2=Harvey|first2=Joy|author-link1=Marilyn Bailey Ogilvie|author-link2=Joy Harvey|title=The biographical dictionary of women in science|url=https://archive.org/details/biographicaldict00ogil_0|url-access=registration|date=2000|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=0-415-92038-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/biographicaldict00ogil_0/page/654 654]}}<!--|access-date=23 October 2015--></ref> but must be used with caution as it does not provide necessary electrolytes and can cause [[hyponatremia]] or other [[electrolyte]] disturbances.
* Dextran also increases [[blood sugar]] levels.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}
* Dextran can be used in an [[ATPS]] for [[PEGylation]]