Ozone Therapy As A Possible Cure For COVID-19: A Paradigm Shift

Introduction

Novel coronavirus or COVID-19 is rapidly spreading every single minute with a significant mortality rate. COVID-19 is a severe respiratory disease caused by SARS-COVID-2 virus. It spread worldwide. Depending on the severity of COVID-19’s international impacts, outbreak conditions are worst those rising to the level of a pandemic which will effect majorly on economy of each country ,day to day life of a common individual as well.¹ 

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Now a day, as per information many cases are asymptomatic for more than a week as well, but no proven study was conducted as per my knowledge. Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath in which old age person group are mainly targeted due to their low immunity and less healing power.

OZONE…most powerful oxidant found in nature is basically a triatomic oxygen (O₃). It have fungicidal properties, bactericidal and virucidal owing to oxidation effect which is very strong enough and formation of free radical as well. Ozone is a unstable ,toxic and reactive compound that needs to be dissolve into other substance and may be applied as a gas or dissolve in water.²

Chemical Structure

Ozone has a cyclic chemical structure containing three atoms of oxygen (O₃). Ozone is more soluble in water (10 times) and 1.6 times denser as compared to oxygen. Ozone is unstable gas, hence it cannot be store and have to use in a short span of time as it has a half life of 40 minutes at 20 degree celcius.² Its molecular weight is 41.98g/mol.³

Properties Of Ozone

Ozone have following properties:

• Immunostimulator
• Antimicrobial
• Disinfectant and used in sterilization
• Analgesic
• Anti-inflammatory and natural antibiotic
• Ozonated olive oil can be use for cosmetic purpose and have fast healing effect.

Generation Of Ozone

There are three different systems of generating Ozone gas.

1. The Ultra violet system which produces in low concentrations of Ozone used in esthetics and air purification.
2. Cold plasma system used to purify air and water.
3. Corona discharge system produces high concentration of Ozone. ⁴

The bacteria and viruses are lacking with the protective layers.so Ozone can easly penetrate and play a role of antibacterial property here. Whereas, healthy normal cell contain their protective layers. The ozone oxidant potential induces the cellular walls destruction  and cytoplasmatic membranes of bacteria (Thanomsub et al., 2002). ⁵

 Production Of Ozone Gas³

Ozone gas  produce in three ways:

1. By UV radiations-: As UV rays emitted from sun which plays a major role in electrical discharge over oxygen. Hence ozone is formed which absorb most of the UV radiations.
2. From electrical discharge: when a oxygen molecule receives an electrical discharge breaking it into oxygen atoms. The atom will further combine with another oxygen molecules and the final ozone is form.
3. By Ozone Generators which simulates lightning via an electrical discharge field. Ozone generators are made up of materials like stainless steel, eutral glass and Teflon which are chemically resistant materials.

Mechanism Of Action⁶

Rowen stated that: “Ozone Therapy may be ideal therapy for viruses. In order to successfully penetrate cells, many viruses require membrane glycoproteins to be in the reduced R-S-H form rather than oxidized (R-S-S-R)”. Ozone therapy directly inactivates many viruses. Mirazmi, et al. found that if its thiol groups are oxidized then cytomegalovirus loses infectivity.

The structure of the Corona virus also has regions rich in cysteine along with inclusive of the spike that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically and envelope proteins .  An amino acid called Cysteine is carrying a “thiol” group or a sulfhydryl (R-S-H) residue.  If any residual alterations   have been found to “cripple” virus growth properties at least 2 logs lower than wild type virus. For membrane fusion activation of  cysteine is essential. The reduced cysteine residues vs. oxidized residues also called redox status can “switch” protein activity to “on” or “off” . Thiol S-H bonds are far weaker than the O-H bonds in alcohols, and vulnerable to oxygen based oxidants, which can oxidize the sulfur to sulfonic acid residues (R-SO3-H). Shelf life of viruses on surfaces is limited. Coronaviruses reportedly retain infectivity up to 9 days on surfaces are quickly inactivated by oxidizing disinfectant. Ozone therapy may assist the body in inactivating thiols in viruses in blood and tissues. Viruses, unlike “living” cells, have no mechanism of self-repair.

Ozone’s has the ability to inactivate cysteine which dependent on proteins was reported as an ozonide attack on cysteine-dependent papain which believed to inactivate the enzyme by oxidizing the active sulfhydryl group to sulfenate or sulfenic acid. Furthermore, coronavirus spike protein is also rich in tryptophan , which is second to cysteine in vulnerability to oxidation

Conclusion:

We have inexpensive,safe and effective remedy for this deadly viral disease. This epidemic could provide impetus to study ozone therapy with a mild cases, very ethically under the auspices of an institution’s review board in treating, with ozone therapy, seriously ill patients.This type pf studies could bring ozone therapy to the forefront of all-around infectious disease management and will be helpful for future mankind.

References:

1.OSHA. GUIDANCE ON PREPARING WORKPLACES FOR COVID-19   1-32.2020.

2.Anagha V Shete et al International Journal of Oral Health Dentistry. January – March 2016;2(1):35-38

3.Kunal shah, Chandra S, Grover N. Ozone therapy-facts and figure. GUIDENT. 4(2)2011.

4.Komali G. Ozone Therapy-A Revolutionary Noninvasive Therapy in Dentistry. Open access Sci Rep.2012:1(10):1-3.

5.German I, Rodrigue A, Andreo J, Pomin K et al. Ozone therapy in dentistry: A systematic review.  Int. J. Odontostomat.,2013:7(2):267-278.

6.Rowen RJ, Robins H (2020) A Plausible “Penny” Costing Effective Treatment for Corona Virus – Ozone Therapy. J Infect Dis Epidemiol 6:113.2020.

Author: Dr. Manpreet Kaur

Consultant Prosthodontist and Implantologist