Safety aspects of Ozone Therapy

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Since ozone is used as a medicine, like for any other therapeutic agent you should know precise ozone concentration, total dose and exposure time in order to minimize the toxic effect of ozone on the organism and to increase its therapeutic efficiency. Of great importance is ozone concentration in ozone/oxygen gas mixture. Extremely low ozone concentrations do not produce a toxic effect since radicals have been quickly and completely neutralized, but at the same time they are not always as much effective as necessary. On the other hand, extremely high ozone concentrations induce biological activity, but imply cytotoxicity.

In the medicine ozone has been used in the form of ozone/oxygen gas mixture within the range of ozone concentrations from 50 to 10000 mcg/L as recommended by the Russian Association of Ozone Therapy.

The fundamentals of ozone therapy are based on the known properties of ozone as follows:

  • high ozone concentrations from 2000 mcg/L and higher have a wound cleaning effect;
  • low ozone concentrations less than 2000 mcg/L have a wound healing effect;
  • high doses of ozone 4000-6000 mcg suppress immune reactions (immunosuppression);
  • low doses of ozone have an immunostimulating effect;
  • high doses of ozone have a blood-stopping effect;
  • low doses of ozone have a stimulating effect on blood circulation;
  • in any case you should follow the principle - always start with lower ozone concentrations and only after observing the patient's reaction gradually increase ozone concentrations.

According to the above mentioned the doctor should be confident that it is expedient to prescribe ozone therapy exactly for this patient. For each clinical case it is advisable to develop the individual program of ozone treatment including the optimal daily dose of ozone, frequency of procedures, duration of treatment course, methods of ozone therapy.

One of the important treatment parameters is the dose of ozone that should not exceed the potential of antioxidant enzymes. The scientifically determined total dose per day is 3000 mcg of ozone. The total daily dose includes quantities of ozone received by the patient during different procedures of ozone therapy within a day. For example, rectal ozone insufflation 900 mcg + subcutaneous ozone injections into the biologically active points 50 mcg. So, the patient received 950 mcg of medical ozone.

Dose of ozone (mcg) = ozone concentration delivered by ozone generator (mcg/L) x volume of ozone (L)

  1. Example of dosage for minor AHT with ozone in acneiform eruption.
    The patient should receive 100 mcg of ozone. For this purpose take into a syringe the ozone/oxygen gas mixture at ozone concentration of 10000 mcg/L and volume of 10 ml.
  2. Example of dosage for major AHT in bronchial asthma.
    The patient should receive 1000 mcg of ozone. For this purpose add into the container with autoblood 100 ml of ozone/oxygen gas mixture at ozone concentration of 10000 mcg/L.

As an exception is considered the use of high doses of ozone 4000-6000 for major AHT to achieve immunosuppression in viral hepatitis, rheumatic diseases, herpetic infection.

The frequency of procedures can be different. Intravenous infusions of ozonated saline should be performed daily or every two days. Major AHT should be performed every 2-3 days, minor AHT usually every two days. An exception is made for generalized infection of different genesis when different methods of ozone therapy can be used within one day. For example, locally can be performed a treatment with ozone/oxygen gas mixture or ozonized water in a special chamber plus intravenous infusion of ozonated saline for systemic effect. The duration of treatment course depends on the severity grade, kind of disease etc. In spite of existing treatment protocols the frequency and number of procedures should be if possible determined individually.

The achieved positive results of treatment after ozone therapy can be kept on average from 5 to 7 months depending on the kind, form and stage of disease. That means it is recommended to repeat treatment courses 2-3 times a year to support the received therapeutic effect.

Ozone therapy is characterized by after-effect i.e. the patients notice changes in their state some time later after the end of treatment course. This phenomenon can be explained so that the increased point of oxyhemoglobin reduction time decreases very slowly, within several weeks. Thus, the high level of oxygen in the blood exerts a therapeutic influence even after the treatment course has been finished.

For patients with somatic pathology before ozone therapy it is necessary to collect the complete anamnesis on availability of any chronic infection. The matter is that ozone is able to aggravate these processes. In this situation it is necessary to continue ozone therapy that facilitates the arrest of inflammation. In some cases it can be necessary to use additional medicines.