Investigational therapy: Ozone next in the mix to help fight Covid-19

Yet another form of investigational therapy is shaping up to help people fight Covid-19. Ozone therapy, or simply giving an ozone-oxygen mixture, is being tested on patients in hospitals as adjuvant (pharmalogical or immunological agent) treatment, along with standards of care.

It has the potential of an immunity-boosting prophylactic and can help ease post-Covid-19 complications.
 

Ozone therapy has been in use since the late 19th century. It was used to treat deep wounds, trench wounds, and gangrene in soldiers during the World War I.
 

At least two hospitals — Lokmanya Hospital in Pune and Neurogen Hospital in Navi Mumbai — have registered a clinical trial with the Clinical Trials Registry, India (CTRI), to test this.
 

Doctors and not-for-profit outfits like the Bisleri Charitable Trust are taking up the challenge to promote this therapy for hypertension, diabetes, pain management, skin disorders, deep wounds, and cancer, and encourage its use as an immunity prophylaxis. It can play a crucial role during a pandemic.
 

Bisleri has tried it on its employees and seen good results. Ramesh J Chauhan, chairman of Bisleri International and the Bisleri Charitable Trust, said they were committed to passing on the advantages of almost two decades of research work done on ozone therapy to people not only as preventive therapy but also as complementary treatment for many lifestyle diseases.

The trust has created exchange programmes with doctors and set up the Ozone Forum of India in 2009. 
 

What is ozone therapy?
 

The ozone molecule has three atoms of oxygen. A mixture of pure ozone and pure oxygen is given to patients, resulting in oxygenation and oxidation, depending on the dosage. It can be externally applied.

 

The Ozone Forum of India has trained 2,400 doctors in the country and touched over 50,000 patients who have complications. Each patient typically needs 10-20 sessions, depending on the illness, and may also require maintenance therapy. Each session under the charitable trust costs Rs 100-150. 
 

The treatment increases the oxygen metabolism of the body, has germicidal powers, acts as an immunologic modulator, and helps to reduce cellular damage, say doctors.
 

Dr Mili Shah, who has been practising ozone therapy on patients for years, says when ozone comes into contact with the inner linings of blood vessels, it produces nitric oxide, which causes relaxation in vessels or dilates them. It thus helps in reducing high blood pressure, one of the many benefits of this therapy, she points out.
 

She says this drugless therapy comes under the umbrella of naturopathy.
 

Experiment on Bisleri employees
 

Bisleri started an immunity prophylaxis project for its employees when the pandemic broke out.
 

The workers were at high risk of contracting the disease while they delivered water jars to households. Thus, the firm tried to improve their immunity.
 

Around 320 employees were given Vitamin D3 and Vitamin B12 intra-muscular injections. It means a small amount of blood was taken from the body, treated with ozone, and then injected back into their veins.
 

Of the 320, only seven participants turned out Covid-19 positive and they too remained asymptomatic without any complications.
 

While the results are encouraging and suggest that ozone treatment may have a role to play in preventing Covid-19, Dr Shah says it needs to be further explored.

These are clinical experiences which can further motivate researchers and clinicians working on ozone therapy, she adds.