: Does such a treatment exist? If so, PLEASE reply with info.
: P.S. I wouldn't ask this question if it wasn't URGENT!
It exists, but in the opinion of medical authorities it's ineffective and
can be dangerous. There have been a number of deaths from the injection
of bubbles of ozone directly into a vein. Ozone produces free radicals,
which are closely linked to cancer and to cell aging and cell death.
Attached is a factsheet from AIDS Project Los Angeles on ozone.
Treatment Education Program 213.993-1482 Treatment Advocate
AIDS Project Los Angeles 213.993-1483 Treatment Advocate
1313 North Vine Street 213.993-1484 Program Manager
Los Angeles, California 90028 213.993-1529 Materials
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T R E A T M E N T E D U C A T I O N P R O J E C T
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Jon Greenburg Library of Alternative Therapies for HIV/AIDS
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Copyright 1994, AIDS Project Los Angeles. We encourage you to share these
fact sheets with others. Permission is granted for reproduction in full,
and copies must be provided free of charge.
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The information in these fact sheets is not medical advice. It is intended
to help people with HIV/AIDS make informed choices. Please consult with a
physician before making any decisions regarding treatment.
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OZONE / OXYGEN
Prepared by Martin A. Majchrowicz
Spring 1994
Ozone, the fusion of three oxygen molecules to create O3, is an incredibly
unstable molecule that breaks down very easily into a stable O2 molecule
and an O1 charged molecule. In nature, oxygen more frequently occurs in the
O2 state which is far more stable. Ozone is more commonly known as the
layer of the atmosphere which protects plants and animals from the damaging
effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. It is also known as a
pollutant that builds up in the lower part of the atmosphere on warm days
as a result of chemical reactions, driven by the heat of the sun, when
nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust react with oxygen.
In this form, ozone can cause irritation and sometimes damage to the
mucosal membrane of the respiratory tract and the eyes.
Ozone can also be useful in the treatment of water. Known as a strong
oxidant, ozone can be used in the water purification process as a method of
killing bacteria and other microorganisms in the water supply.
Due to its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, some
believe that ozone can be used as a method of treating a variety of
diseases including HIV/AIDS. This practice has become quite controversial.
Most researchers believe ozone has no medical use. However, ozone
proponents claim that the Western medical "establishment" wants to "crush"
this cheap and effective method of treating HIV/AIDS, cancer, and a variety
of other acute and chronic fatal diseases.
There arc several different forms of ozone therapy which are sometimes
referred to as superoxidation or hyperoxidation. Ozone therapy can be
administered in three different ways. One method is removing {*filter*} from the
patient, bubbling ozone through the {*filter*}, and infusing the {*filter*} back into
the patient. Another form is the rectal ozone machine which generates ozone
gas and blows it directly into the patients rectum. The last and
potentially most dangerous form of ozone therapy is intravenous or
intramuscular injections of ozone gas. This literally entails injecting
ozone gas directly into the vein or muscle of the patient. Hydrogen
peroxide injections are sometimes used as part of, or independent of, ozone
therapy. Those who recommend hydrogen peroxide also recommend peroxide also
recommend drinking and bathing in it. The hydrogen peroxide used for such
therapy is a different strength than what can be purchased in a drug store.
MECHANISM OF ACTION
As there are many different forms of ozone therapy, there are as many
different theories as to how ozone therapy can be useful. The most
simplistic of these theories is that since disease-causing organisms,
including viruses, die in the presence of high concentrations of oxygen, by
increasing the oxygen concentration in the body with ozone, this will kill
HIV and other viruses and bacteria. This theory is also coupled with the
fact that since we breath oxygen everyday, it is "obviously" safe to be
injected or infused into the body with no toxicity or side effects.
When ozone is created, it quickly degrades from an O3 molecule to an O2 and
an O1 The first theory suggests that the O2 molecule will kill free
viruses, meaning viruses that are not hiding in CD4 cells. Since there is
very little free HIV in the {*filter*}, the real problem of HIV infected cells
and their ability to produce more HIV is not solved.
This theory can be taken one step further by claiming that the O1 molecule,
an oxidant, is the useful aspect of ozone degradation reaction, and this is
what will kill free viruses as well as "diseased cells" (cells infected
with HIV). The rationale for this theory is based on the fact that healthy
human cells can protect themselves from the oxidative stress of O1.
However, viruses, microbes, and "diseased cells" lack the ability to
protect themselves from oxidants, therefore they are destroyed by ozone.
Healthy cells. those that are not infected with HIV, will not be damaged by
the ozone. As opposed to the first theory, this second theory suggests that
ozone is not only effective against free virus but also against cells that
are already infected with HIV. However, neither of these theories has been
proven in any laboratory studies.
One laboratory study suggests that ozone may act directly on HIV by
inducing viral particle disruption, reverse transcriptase inactivation,
and/or perturbation of the ability of the virus to bind to its receptor on
target cells.
Bocci, a researcher in Italy, has put forth a very different theory of how
ozone may be effective against certain diseases. Bocci recognizes that
ozone decomposes very rapidly and very little virus is actually free in the
{*filter*}. He suggests that the benefit of ozone may be due to its ability to
enhance the functioning of the immune system and induce the production of
certain cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon (IFN).
STUDIES
While laboratory studies that show ozone can kill HIV in vitro (in the test
tube) exists, there is little evidence to suggest that ozone is an
effective anti-HIV/AIDS therapy in humans.
Carpendale reports using ozone to treat diarrhea of unknown origin in five
men with a wide range of CD4 cells. Of the five men, the four with the
highest CD4 counts experienced a decrease in diarrhea. The one patient with
cryptosporidium and a CD4 cell count of 75 did not respond to ozone and
eventually died. The four men who responded had relatively high CD4 counts
(193, 130, 209, & 435) and may have resolved regardless of therapy. Many
times, diarrhea in people with HIV can spontaneously resolve. Due to the
small number of patients and the nature of their symptoms, it is difficult
to conclude that ozone had a definite effect on their diarrhea.
Carpendale also reports on two asymptomatic patients who used ozone for
five years. One patient who began with 907 CD4 cells showed an increase of
CD4 cells to 1286 at the beginning of the third year and an increase of the
CD4/CD8 ratio. Although the follow-up supposedly lasted five years, there
is no data past this point.
The second patient began with 309 CD4 cells, increased to 831, but then
stabilized between 500-700. After six years, this patient "suddenly" died
of pneumonia and disseminated coccidiomycosis (a fungal infection).
The CD4 cell trends mentioned in this report are nothing extraordinary
considering the final outcomes. Both patients experienced transient
increases in their CD4 cell counts and moderate increases in their CD4/CD8
ratios. There was no mention of whether or not other medications were used.
This report does not provide a clear benefit of ozone therapy.
In addition to these extremely limited studies, there are supposedly
hundreds of cases of people being "cured" with ozone including complete
alleviation of symptoms and becoming HIV negative (using ELISA, Western
Blot, and PCR). None of these reports has ever been substantiated.
Proponents of ozone claim that these reports cannot be made public due to
the fear that those doctors involved will have their licenses revoked.
However, nothing is preventing patients with HIV/AIDS from coming forward
and claiming that they have been "cured".
COMMENT
Until recently, it was thought that ozone therapy was at least a safe
alternative, and attempts had not been made to discourage people from
seeking it as an option. However, after two reported cases of death
involved with ozone therapy, we at APLA strongly caution people about the
risks involved with ozone therapy. The three main issues are safety, price,
and effectiveness.
Proponents of ozone repeatedly make accusations that the "medical
establishment" is against ozone because it is an inexpensive approach and
that finding a cure using ozone will threaten pharmaceutical companies. The
average cost of a rectal ozone machine is $5000, while some "underground"
physicians charge as much as $30,000 for IV ozone treatments. We have known
of several people with HIV/AIDS who purchased ozone machines and reported
little to no benefit. One ozone "doctor" in Mississippi claims to be doing
a "super secret" study with the government. This "doctor" said that "all
the patients need to know is it'll cost them about $1000 a week and
...
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********* HELP! ****** OZONE TREATMENT?