[Rectal ozone therapy for patients with pulmonary emphysema]. / La ozonoterapia en pacientes con enfisema pulmonar.

BACKGROUND: Ozone therapy may stimulate antioxidant systems and protect against free radicals. It has not been used formerly in patients with pulmonary emphysema. AIM: To assess the effects of rectal ozone therapy in patients with pulmonary emphysema. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty four patients with pulmonary emphysema, aged between 40 and 69 years, were randomly assigned to receive rectal ozone in 20 daily sessions, rectal medicinal oxygen or no treatment. Treatments were repeated three months later in the first two groups. At baseline and at the end of the study, spirometry and a clinical assessment were performed. RESULTS: fifty patients completed the protocol, 20 receiving ozone therapy, 20 receiving rectal oxygen and 10 not receiving any therapy. At baseline, patients on ozone therapy had significantly lower values of forced expiratory volume in the first second (fEV1) and fEV1/forced vital capacity. At the end of the treatment period, these parameters were similar in the three treatment groups, therefore they only improved significantly in the group on ozone therapy. No differences were observed in other spirometric parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal ozone therapy may be useful in patients with pulmonary emphysema.

Ozone oxidative post-conditioning in acute renal failure.

OBJECTIVES: The ischaemia-reperfusion process is largely mediated by reactive oxygen species. Taking into account that a transient and controlled administration of ozone is able to upregulate cellular antioxidant enzymes, a morphological, biochemical and functional renal study was performed in rats undergoing warm renal ischaemia. METHODS: Rats were divided into four groups. All except the negative controls underwent 60 min' bilateral renal ischaemia followed by 10 days' reperfusion. The positive control group received no further treatment. The ozone group received an ozone/oxygen mixture (ozone dose 0.5 mg/kg) immediately after the ischaemia and daily for the 10 days' reperfusion; the oxygen group were given the same concentration of oxygen alone (13 mg/kg). Biochemical parameters fructosamine, phospholipase A2, catalase, superoxide dismutase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were measured, as well as renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate. KEY FINDINGS: Renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate decreased significantly in the positive controls and the oxygen group whereas values in the ozone group were similar to those in the negative control group. With respect to the biochemical parameters, ozone maintained a homeostasis redox, with significant increases in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities and similar values for phospholipase A2 and fructosamine compared with the negative control group. Fewer morphological alterations were seen in kidneys from the ozone group. No advantages were obtained in the positive control and oxygen groups. CONCLUSIONS: The protective effect of ozone may be explained by upregulation of the antioxidant defence system and beneficial effects on blood circulation and in oxygen metabolism. Ozone treatment may represent a therapeutic approach for minimising renal damage after transplantation.

Ozone therapy on rats submitted to subtotal nephrectomy: role of antioxidant system.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) represents a world health problem. Ozone increases the endogenous antioxidant defense system, preserving the cell redox state. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of ozone/oxygen mixture in the renal function, morphology, and biochemical parameters, in an experimental model of CRF (subtotal nephrectomy). Ozone/oxygen mixture was applied daily, by rectal insufflation (0.5 mg/kg) for 15 sessions after the nephrectomy. Renal function was evaluated, as well as different biochemical parameters, at the beginning and at the end of the study (10 weeks). Renal plasmatic flow (RPF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), the urine excretion index, and the sodium and potassium excretions (as a measurement of tubular function) in the ozone group were similar to those in Sham group. Nevertheless, nephrectomized rats without ozone (positive control group) showed the lowest RPF, GFR, and urine excretion figures, as well as tubular function. Animals treated with ozone showed systolic arterial pressure (SAP) figures lower than those in the positive control group, but higher values compared to Sham group. Serum creatinine values and protein excretion in 24 hours in the ozone group were decreased compared with nephrectomized rats, but were still higher than normal values. Histological study demonstrated that animals treated with ozone showed less number of lesions in comparison with nephrectomized rats. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were significantly increased in nephrectomized and ozone-treated nephrectomized rats in comparison with Sham group. In the positive control group, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) showed the lowest figures in comparison with the other groups. However, ozone/oxygen mixture induced a significant stimulation in the enzymatic activity of CAT, SOD, and glutathione peroxidase, as well as reduced glutathione in relation with Sham and positive control groups. In this animal model of CRF, ozone rectal administrations produced a delay in the advance of the disease, protecting the kidneys against vascular, hemorheological, and oxidative mechanisms. This behavior suggests ozone therapy has a protective effect on renal tissue by downregulation of the oxidative stress shown in CRF.