Brain Ischemia and Hypometabolism Treated by Ozone Therapy

Abstract

Background: Radiation-induced brain injury (RBI) and low-perfusion brain syndromes are mediated by ischemia and hypometabolism and have limited treatment options. Ozone therapy as treatment in vascular diseases has been described, but the effects on brain tissue have not been well documented. Case Report: We describe a 75-year-old patient with vascular risk factors and meningioma who was treated with stereotactic radiosurgery. 14 months later the patient presented with progressive clinical impairment despite the use of acetylsalicylic acid and corticosteroids. Clinical and imaging evaluations before/after ozone therapy were done by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and positron emission tomography (PET); performance status assessment was done using Barthel Index and World Health Organization/Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Scale (WHO/ECOG Scale). Ozone therapy was performed by autohemotransfusion. Results: Basal images showed brain areas with ischemia and hypometabolism compatible with ischemic processes and/or RBI. There were no changes in MRI or CT scan images following ozone therapy. However, improvements in brain perfusion and metabolism were demonstrable with SPECT and PET; they correlated with clinical development and performance status scales. Conclusion: This report supports our previous works about the effect of ozone therapy in cerebral blood flow, and it suggests the use of ozone therapy in ischemic and hypometabolic brain syndromes such as stroke or RBI.

Long-Term Improvement in Refractory Headache Following Ozone Therapy

“…Conversely, as demonstrated by positron emission tomography (PET) studies, chronic migraine has been associated with brain hypometabolism in several cerebral areas such as insula, thalamus, anterior cingulate, and parietal. 3 In addition to regulation of blood flow and oxygenation by O 3 T described by ourselves and other authors, we recently described a patient with brain ischemia and hypometabolism with clinical and radiological improvement post-O 3 T (assessed by PET and single photon emission computed tomography), 11 which extends the potential usefulness of this therapy in patients with chronic migraine.…”

“…15 After 5 minutes of ex vivo mixing, the blood is infused slowly into the donor patient and will proceed to exert several actions, one of the most important of which is the vascular effect. Ozone can induce regulation of cerebral blood flow 10,11 and oxygen delivery in ischemic tissues 9 partly due to a regulation of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) in erythrocytes, and the local release of nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) by the endothelium. 18 Other relevant effects of ozonated blood are (1) a broad immuno-enhancement due to release of cytokines from lymphocytes; (2) an upregulation of intracellular antioxidant enzymes due to cell stimulation by 4-HNE, which is able to reduce chronic oxidative stress; and (3) a feeling of well-being 16 that is due, most likely, to release of endorphins.…”

The Novel Relationship between Urban Air Pollution and Epilepsy: A Time Series Study

“…OA can also improve the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with cognitive impairment [29]. Moreover, various cerebrovascular diseases are important causes in epilepsy, especially ischemic stroke [30], while ozone therapy has a potential role in the treatment of ischemic disorders [31,32]. However, the neurotoxic effects of excess O 3 exposure are also well-known.…”

Ozone alleviates ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting mitochondrion‐mediated apoptosis pathway in SH‐SY5Y cells

“…Pretreatment with small doses of ozone, has recently been proved to protect against I/R injury in animal models of cerebra, hepatic, renal, and cardiac ischemia (Chen et al, 2008; Onal et al, 2015). Furthermore, ozone may improve cerebral I/R injury by regulating inflammatory response and increasing blood flow (Clavo et al, 2011). It was reported that ozone exerted its protective effect by stimulating the endogen antioxidant system and decreasing glycogen consumption and lactate production.…”