- OZONE: BRONCHITIS & ASTHMA

Chronic Bronchitis

The immunomodulating properties of ozone can be useful in the treatment of chronic bronchitis. Ozone therapy facilitates the normalization of anti-infective immune response of the organism to viral-bacterial infection. That results in the tension of the local and general immunity, which is decreased in chronic bronchitis. As a result of treatment, in bronchial contents and mucosal cells as well as in peripheral blood it comes to an increase in the total number of T-lymphocytes and T-helpers stimulating the proliferation of B-cells and the formation of antibodies. There is an increase in IgA and IgM in blood serum, an increase in the circulating immunocomplexes and an activation of phagocyte neutrophiles. The indices of secretory IgA in bronchial contents return to normal.

With remission of bronchial inflammation it comes to an increase in the suppressive activity indicating the adequacy of immune response. The absorbability of monocytes and neutrophiles of peripheral blood is activated providing the elimination of causative agents.

Ozone therapy can be successfully used in the treatment of obstructive bronchitis, which is characterized by respiratory insufficiency of different manifestation. Persistent bronchial obstruction does not only result in the progressive respiratory insufficiency, but also facilitates pulmonary hypertension. The vasodilating properties of ozone can be particularly useful in this case. The improvement in the oxygen-transport function of blood through the parenteral introduction of ozone/oxygen gas mixture i.e. by moving aside the lungs, the increase in the release of oxygen to the tissues result in the removal of hypoxemia and tissue hypoxia.

Recommended methods of ozone therapy:

·       Intravenous drop-by-drop infusions of ozonated saline solution;

·       Rectal ozone insufflations;

·       Minor autohaemotherapy with ozone;

·       Acupuncture therapy with ozone;

·       Inhalations with ozonated water.

The results of ozone therapy used in patients with chronic bronchitis were the following: in 79% of patients - an improvement in the condition, in 29% of cases - a significant improvement i.e. the complete disappearance of cough, dyspnea, weakness, lung wheezing; in 21% of cases - satisfactory results of treatment.

Bronchial Asthma

The effect of ozone therapy develops through its many-sided action on the pathological process. First of all, this is the ability of ozone to remove bronchospasm that occurs due to the dilatating effect on smooth musculature through NO-radical produced in the endotheliocytes under the action of ozone.

Of great importance is the ability of ozone to remove tissue hypoxia, which always develops in patients with bronchial asthma due to pulmonary insufficiency, resulted from bronchospasm. The transport of oxygen to blood past the lungs, the increased release of oxygen to the tissues, the improvement in the flow properties of blood are the basis for removal of hypoxia.

An increase in oxygen supply leads to the normalization of organs and systems, in particular the immune system. The organism's immunological mechanisms are oxygen-dependent as the adequate chemotaxis and phagocytosis with generation of oxygen free radicals by the macrophages and granulocytes in response to infection require appropriate oxygen supply.

The immunological effect of ozone develops through the activation of the production of cytokines - interferons, tumor necrosis factor, interleukins. The latter ones activate the cell-bound and humoral immunity. It comes to the intensification of the synthesis of T-killers, which are responsible for the cell-bound immunity, normalization in the production of T-helpers regulating the activity of B-lymphocytes regarding the synthesis of immunoglobulins.

The stimulation of the immune system facilitates the suppression of the inflammatory process owing to the decreased activity of effector cells and their decreased production of biologically active substances providing bronchospastic reactions.

The anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects of ozone are also of great importance. The bactericidal action of ozone is similar to the organism's own processes focused on the destruction of foreign antigens. Ozone intensifies the action of free radicals owing to the increased phagocytic ability of leukocytes. Besides, ozone penetrates into the microbial cell and directly reacts with cytoplasma proteins thus disturbing bacterial proliferation.

The anti-viral mechanism of ozone develops by damaging the polypeptide chains of viral membrane that disturbs the ability of virus to hold on the cells. It also comes to the breakdown of one RNA chain into two parts that stops the reproductive process of viruses. The protective action of ozone towards the intact cells is important. The defense against viruses is provided through the activated synthesis of interferon and the intensified elimination of virus-infected cells.

Recommended methods of ozone therapy:

·       Intravenous drop-by-drop infusions of ozonated saline solution;

·       Rectal ozone insufflations;

·       Major autohaemotherapy with ozone;

·       Acupuncture therapy with ozone;

·       Inhalations with ozonized distilled water.

One of the investigations included 42 patients with bronchial asthma who received one course of ozone therapy. Most of the patients (83%) had moderate severity of disease. After the course of ozone therapy a significant improvement in the patient's condition (a decrease in dyspnea attacks more than twice and in the dosage of drug therapy) was observed in 86% of patients. In 7% of patients asthmatic attacks were completely stopped by gradually rejecting the use of medicines. In 7% of cases there was no improvement.