The Clinical Application of Ozonetherapy

Abstract

The reader may be eager to examine in which diseases ozonetherapy can be proficiently used and she/he will be amazed by the versatility of this complementary approach (Table 9 1). The fact that the medical applications are numerous exposes the ozonetherapist to medical derision because superficial observers or sarcastic sceptics consider ozonetherapy as the modern panacea. This seems so because ozone, like oxygen, is a molecule able to act simultaneously on several blood components with different functions but, as we shall discuss, ozonetherapy is not a panacea. The ozone messengers ROS and LOPs can act either locally or systemically in practically all cells of an organism. In contrast to the dogma that “ozone is always toxic”, three decades of clinical experience , although mostly acquired in private clinics in millions of patients, have shown that ozone can act as a disinfectant, an oxygen donor, an immunomodulator, a paradoxical inducer of antioxidant enzymes, a metabolic enhancer, an inducer of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and possibly an activator of stem cells with consequent neovascularization and tissue reconstruction .

Adjuvant combined ozone therapy for extensive wound over tibia

“…In our case, the patient was 59 years old and immunosenescence may also be a cause of impaired wound healing 21. Ozone AHT induces release of cytokines, such as TNF-α and interleukins, which activate the neutrophils and lymphocytes 3112223. These reinfused ozonated lymphocytes further activate other cells in a paracrine manner, causing widespread immune stimulation 311.…”

“…In our case, the nonhealing and necrotic wound seen postcompartment syndrome may be associated with continued tissue ischemia, reperfusion injury, and imbalanced tissue homeostasis and microcirculation 12. In blood, ozone almost immediately disintegrates forming reactive oxygen species and lipid oxidation products 311. The lipid oxidation products cause vasodilatation by acting on the endothelium, causing release of prostacyclin, interleukin-8, and nitric oxide 2313–15.…”

“…Reactive oxygen species cause platelet aggregation and release of platelet-derived growth factors, transforming growth factor β, and interleukin-8, which play a major role in rapid wound healing 16. Ozone AHT is also shown to improve the hemorrheologic properties and increase the oxygen delivery to the more ischemic tissues 317. The therapeutic oxidative stress caused by the AHT also leads to upregulation of the intracellular antioxidant enzymes and production of heme oxygenase-1 and heat-stable protein-70, which help in protecting the tissues from ischemia/reperfusion and inflammation and also play a role in wound healing 31118–20.…”

“…These reinfused ozonated lymphocytes further activate other cells in a paracrine manner, causing widespread immune stimulation 311. Although ozone has excellent bactericidal, virucidal, and also antiprotozoal properties, this action is nullified by the presence of endogenous antioxidant in the plasma, making ozone ineffective in sterilizing blood 324. This is a major reason to combine the AHT with topical ozone therapy.…”

“…reported 2 cases of leg ulcers treated by ozone autohemotherapy (AHT) with healing achieved in both the cases 8. Bocci recommended the combined use of topical and AHT stating that a synergistic effect would lead to rapid healing of the wounds 3. Here we present a case of compartment syndrome following surgical treatment of stress fracture of proximal tibia with extensively infected wound and exposed tibia to about 4/5 of its extent.…”