Ozone in medicine

Ozone therapy has been used as a complementary medical approach for half a century but it has encountered skepticism by orthodox medicine because, par ticularly in the past, it has been used by practitioners and others without a rational basis and appropriate controls. With the advent of modern medic al ozone generators incorporating a photometer, it has become possible to o btain precise ozone concentrations and to evaluate some mechanisms of actio n and possible toxicity. In contrast with the respiratory tract, human bloo d exposed to appropriate ozone concentrations is able to tame its strong ox idant properties and neither acute, nor chronic side effects have ensued in millions of patients treated with ozonated autohaemotherapy (O-3-AHT). Thi s review summarizes our studies aimed at clarifying biological effects, def ining any possible damage, the therapeutic window and suitable doses able t o express a therapeutic activity. A very interesting and promising aspect i s the induction of the so-called heat stress proteins (HSP) leading to adap tation to a chronic oxidative stress. The use of atone in human therapy has been reviewed but so far very few controlled clinical studies have been re ported. Mostly on the basis of anecdotal results, ozone therapy appears use ful in infectious diseases, immune depression, vascular disorders, degenera tive diseases and orthopedics.