COVID-19 and Ozone

COVID-19 is characterized by an abnormal inflammatory response associated with endothelial dysfunction and microvascular complications. Unfortunately, no specific treatment for the disease and its life-threatening complications is available as of now. Ozone (O3) gas is a molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms in a dynamically unstable structure due to the presence of mesomeric states. Although O3 can have dangerous effects, it can have many therapeutic effects due to hormesis. The direct effect of ozone may be the direct inactivation of COVID-19, stimulation of oxygen metabolism, and activation of the immune system. Fortunately, COVID-19 contains sulfur-bound proteins that can be easily damaged through ozone oxidation. This structural content can be crucial to the antiviral effect because ozone can easily break down the double bonds in sulfur protein structures through a reaction called ozonolysis. Therefore, medical ozone can help reduce pneumonia, slow viral replication, regulate lung circulation and oxygenation, and prevent microvascular thrombosis. Ozone therapy can be considered as a cost-effective and easy-to-administer adjunct therapy while awaiting the development of a specific drug or vaccine for COVID-19. Furthermore, a growing number of studies have shown that ozone can be used as an adjuvant therapy for COVID-19.