Medical Ozone Advantage effects as Complementary Treatment to the Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV Patients

Abstract

Background/Aim: Oxidative stress (OS) has been demonstrated previously in HIV. Medical ozone (O3) has shown clinical efficacy in different diseases where OS is pathophysiological involved. This study characterizes the O3 effects as complementary treatment to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV Cuban patients. Material and Methods: Prospective quasi-experimental study was carried out, with blood extraction before and after the application of one O3 cycle by rectal insufflation during 5 weeks in 20 HIV patients under ART. The clinical response of the patients was evaluated by comparing the final values of the virological, immunological, hematological, biochemical and OS indexes respect to the baseline values, also were compared to a supposedly healthy volunteer (SHV). Results: No significant differences were observed in the hematological and biochemical parameters evaluated (p>0.05) in the treated group at baseline and end of the study, with the exception of erythrocyte sedimentation rate. At initial significant differences (p<0.05) were observed for malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP), peroxidation potential, hydroperoxide (HPO), glutathione, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide with respect to SHV. After the O3 cycle the AOPP, HPO, CAT and SOD median values, did not show significant differences (p>0.05) respect to SHV. All the redox parameters improved significantly (p>0.05) at 8th weeks in relation to the baseline values of the group, also CD4+ T cells increased (p<0.05). Conclusions: The beneficial effects of medical ART-ozone combination, in terms of OS, were demonstrated in the studied patients, without hematologic or blood toxic influence, no pharmacological interactions and non-adverse reactions was observed.