Full Length Research Paper

The protective effect of plasma antioxidants during ozone autohemotherapy

L.H du Plessis¹*, F.H. van der Westhuizen² and H.F. Kotzé²

¹School of Pharmacy, Subject Group Pharmaceutics, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.

²School for Biochemistry, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: Lissinda.DuPlessis@nwu.ac.za.

Accepted 5 November, 2007

Ozone (O₃) therapy forms part of a group of complementary and alternative medical therapies and is gaining more and more interest worldwide. There is, however, some concern regarding O₃-toxicity and uncertainty about the effectiveness of O₃-therapy. In this study we investigated the possible protective effects of the plasma antioxidant defense system during O₃-AHT. Venous blood from six apparently healthy human donors was collected. In one part of the study a precise volume of blood was mixed with an equal volume of O₂/O₃ gas mixture containing 20 or 80 µg/ml O₃ for 20 min. In the other part, the plasma was washed out, the cells resuspended in a buffered phosphate solution and treated with same concentrations of O₃. Control samples was not treated or treated with O₂. Ozone-AHT caused increased plasma hydroperoxide levels and glutathione ratio. Antioxidant enzyme (catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase) activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) decreased, whereas superoxide dismutase levels increased slightly. Plasma antioxidant capacity decreased. These effects were more evident in the absence of plasma antioxidants. Therefore the damaging effects of O₃ were quenched by the antioxidants present in plasma.

Key words: Ozone autohemotherapy, oxidant/antioxidant status, plasma antioxidants, glutathione, antioxidant enzymes.