We are honored to welcome Dr. Silvia Menéndez to Ozone Master Classes. Dr. Menéndez is the world’s foremost scientist in the field of ozone. She has spearheaded a significant amount of pre-clinical and clinical studies in Cuba, and for decades she was the engine behind the effort to prove the scientific and therapeutic value of medical ozone. Her invaluable contributions to research and the recognition of ozone as a potent therapeutic agent have earned her international recognition and respect. Dr. Menéndez is an outstanding teacher, and her passion for medical ozone permeates and distinguishes her work from anybody else’s.
Dr. Menéndez earned BA in Chemistry in 1972, and a PhD in Chemical Sciences in 1982, both at the University of Havana, Cuba. From 1972 to 2011, she worked in the National Center of Scientific Research in Cuba, (CNIC). She joined the Ozone Group in 1972, which in 1994 became the Ozone Research Center. In 1986, she became a Full Researcher. After that, Dr. Menéndez worked as a Specialist in Ozone Therapy and Head of the Ozone Clinic in the Ozone Research Center until 2011. Dr. Menéndez has been member of the Scientific Degrees Commission of the CNIC, of the General Scientific Council of CNIC and of the National Permanent Tribunal of Chemistry (for the defense of PhD thesis). Dr. Menéndez was responsible for the introduction of introduced ozone medical applications in Cuba in 1986. In 2007, Dr. Menéndez earned her qualifications as a first (highest) degree biotechnologist.
She has acted as consultant or tutor, in the field of ozone medical applications, in 40 thesis of Medical Specialist, in 10 thesis of Master (Biology, Pharmacology, Emergency Medicine, Traditional and Natural Medicine, Bioenergetic Medicine and in Emergency Dentistry) and in 4 thesis of PhD (in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences). She is the author of more than 50 articles, published in peered review journals, in the last 20 years, several books, of two patents (one international, about ozonated oils), 2 medicament registrations and a new therapeutic indication. She has imparted 60 courses in ozone therapy and participated in 130 international congresses with over 300 research papers on ozone therapies. As a lecturer, Dr. Menéndez has been invited to different countries such as: Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, USA, Barbados, Japan, Egypt and India. She has contributed in the clarification of the ozone mechanisms of action, by increasing knowledge of its biochemical and pharmacological properties and demonstrating that ozone therapy, carried on in controlled conditions, can be used with beneficial effects in apparently non related diseases. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the World Federation of Ozone Therapy (WFOT- www.wfot.org) and is the head of the Scientific Council of O3CROWD ( www.o3crowd.org/scientific-board ). In 2017, Dr Menéndez joined OZOLABS, a European ozonated oil skin care products company, as Scientific Advisor. She has received several international and national medals and awards for her work deployed in the field of ozone therapy.
Prize for the Result of Major Scientific Advance for the paper entitled ¨Oxidation of the sugar cane wax¨ (1978).
Hallmark ¨Forjadores del Futuro¨ (1985).
Prize for the Result of Major Economical Contribution for the paper entitled ¨Microbiological contamination in turbocombustible¨ (1986).
National Prize of Major Originality for the paper entitled ¨Ozone water disinfection in different water installations¨ (1987).
Special Annual Prize awarded by the Cuban Academy of Sciences for the paper entitled ¨Ozone applications in Cuba¨ (1991).
Prize in the VIII National Forum for the paper entitled ¨Ozone therapy and magneto therapy in the treatment of glaucoma. Its generalization¨ (1993).
Prize for the Result of Major Contribution to Social Development awarded by the Superior Education Ministry, for the paper entitled ¨Ozone with therapeutical purposes: pharmacology, toxicology and clinical results in oncopediatric mucositis¨ (2000).
“Dr Pedro Kourí Esmeja” Prize awarded by the Arab-American Medical Commission of the Cuban Arab Union for the paper entitled ¨Campimetric response of Retinitis Pigmentosa patients to ozone therapy treatment¨ (2002).
Prize awarded by the Scientific Council of the National Center for Scientific Research for Teaching of the Different Ozone Applications (2002).
Juan Tomás Roig Medal (2004).
Carlos J. Finlay Order (2006), a prize awarded for all the relevant scientific work performed during her career, awarded by the State Council of the Cuban Republic..
Two Special Annual Prize awarded by the Cuban Academy of Sciences for the papers entitled ¨Characterization of the ozonized sunflower oil and the study of its different uses¨ and ¨Ozone oxidative precondition: basis of its efficacy¨(2006).
Prize in the XV National Forum for the paper entitled ¨A new effective medication against intestinal giardiasis: oral OLEOZON (2007).
Minister Prize awarded by the Superior Education Ministry (2007).
Prize in the XVI Provincial Forum for the paper entitled ¨New therapeutical indication of topical OLEOZON: its application in the treatment of impetigo¨ (2008).
National Prize of the Technical-Scientific Critic for the book entitled ¨Ozone. Basic and clinical applications¨ (2009).
“Velio Bocci” I Scientific Prize to Ozone Therapy Investigations awarded by the Spanish Scientific Association of Oxygen-Ozone Therapy Application (ACEOOT) with the aim to develop the research and to stimulate the works related with ozone therapy for the paper entitled ¨Protective effect of ozone therapy in the renal damage¨ (2011).
Denham Harmon Award granted by the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) during ACAM Fall 2014 Annual Conference on ¨Intelligent Immunity¨ on November 16, 2014, Las Vegas, USA.
Francesco Riccardo Monti Prize for life time achievements is a recognition for scientific work done to spread Oxygen-Ozone Therapy practice in Italy and around the world. It was given during the Ozone Forum of India and the Annual Meeting of the World
Federation of Ozone Therapy (WFOT), November 20, 2016.
Sessions
Dr. Silvia Menéndez Cepero, PhD:
Pharmacological mechanisms and safety of Ozone Therapy in the treatment of SARS COV-2 patients.
Sunday, November 20th:
The new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) produced by the new coronavirus, SarsCoV2, has been expanding since December 2019 and declared by WHO a pandemic. Patients evolve differently and extreme cases have fatal outcomes after 10 days of being infected. The virus is known to cause Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Cytokine storm is considered to be one of the major causes of ARDS and multiple-organ failure. Due to the high lethality of SARS-CoV2 infections and its economic and social impact, it is necessary to seek new therapeutic procedures. Medical ozone therapy has a clear scientific basement thanks to all preclinical investigations already published. It can be classified as a chemical stressor that produces a modulation of the redox balance and immunity. Moreover, it is easy and safe to administer. It has been demonstrated that ozone therapy produces a significant improvement in blood flow and oxygenation of ischemic tissues. Also, ozone can achieve an equilibrium between Nrf2 and NF-κB factors, modulating oxidative stress and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), the key anti-oxidant guardian in all tissues, could be critical in extinguishing the exacerbated inflammation that triggers organ failure in COVID-19. The reduced levels of GSH are clinically associated with severe disease, then, restoring GSH levels is important to protect the most vulnerable subjects from severe symptoms of the disease. It is well documented that ozone activates the level of GSH. COVID-19 patients suffer from microthrombi due to increased viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation, among other factors. Ozone has an antiplatelet effect, increases some prostacyclins (like PGI2) leading to vasodilatation, as well as modulates antithrombin III. All these effects, in conjunction with better blood circulation, can help to decrease the hypercoagulation phenomena present in these patients. In clinical studies performed in Cuba, it has been demonstrated that ozone by rectal insufflation improves the metabolic, nutritional status, and oxidative stress in patients with mild and moderate COVID-19, as well as achieves an RT-PCR negative (81%) in five days of treatment and reduced inflammation markers and prognostic indicators of the disease. Today, ozone therapy represents the most practical approach for integrating standard therapies to achieve homeostasis. Therefore, due to the ozone therapeutical effects, it can be proposed as an adjunct therapy in SARS-CoV-2.
PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF OZONE IN AUTOIMMUNE AND INFLAMMATORY DISEASES. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
Ozone has been used as a therapeutical agent for the treatment of different diseases and beneficial effects have been observed. However, ozone's biological effects remain controversial due to the scarce knowledge of its biochemical and pharmacodynamic mechanisms. Based on the oxidant properties of ozone, we postulate that controlled ozone administration (named as ozone oxidative pre-/postconditioning mechanism) can promote a slight and transient oxidative stress which in turn re-establishes the signaling pathways which have been lost in pathological conditions, preserving the cellular redox balance (increasing antioxidant endogenous system), mitochondrial function as well as the regulation of transcription factors and the modulation of the immunological system. It is evident that membrane-associated ozone peroxides, 4-hydroxyalkenals, superoxide anion, and nitric oxide, among others, are going to play an important role in cellular signals as well as in the pathology of different diseases. Regulation of these biomolecules by ozone preconditioning has been demonstrated in several preclinical and clinical studies such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Ozone oxidative preconditioning/ postconditioning effectively modulates the antioxidant/oxidant balance associated with the adjuvant arthritis model in rats, as well as in the clinical study. Ozone therapy effectively reduced inflammation with effects, mediated through reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and activation of IL-10 anti-inflammatory cytokine. Similar results were obtained in the preclinical and clinical studies of multiple sclerosis (MS). Ozone therapy incremented the expression of Nrf2 phosphorylation in mononuclear cells of MS patients. Ozone´s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects might be partially associated with an induction of Nrf2 phosphorylation and activation. Also, lower values of Th17 and cytokines IL-17 and IL-23 in peripheral blood of MS patients were found, which result in efficient protection against MS in inflammation. It is known that adenosine A 1 receptors (A 1 AR) inhibition is accompanied by increased expression and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducing demyelination and axonal injury upon oligodendrocyte degeneration. Then, A 1 AR signaling activation produced by ozone therapy attenuates pro-inflammatory responses and maintains myelin sheath integrity by augmenting anti-inflammatory responses. Ozone therapy seems to induce a simultaneous resuscitation of functions that had gone wrong, reactivating and re-equilibrating physiological activities. It is concluded that ozone therapy can be useful in the treatment of several diseases, either as an adjuvant of orthodox medicine or taking part positively in those where conventional therapy has had no success, all this with a common purpose: to favor the patients and contribute to a better quality of life.
Protective effect of ozone in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Dr. Silvia Menéndez Cepero, PhD:
Saturday, November 19th:
OZONATED VEGETABLE OILS. BASIC PRINCIPLES AND NEW APPLICATIONS
Germicidal properties of ozone are not only limited to ozone, but they are also present in the products from the reaction of this gas with certain substances. Subsequently, oils of vegetable origin have become an adequate means for ozone therapy due to their very marked germicidal and parasiticide properties which make them useful in the treatment of various diseases. Ozone interaction with unsaturated molecules, among them, those of vegetable oils, generates the formation of a mixture of chemical compounds, such as ozonides and peroxides, just like what has been postulated for ozone interaction with unsaturated fatty acids present in the biological fluids. Ozonides and peroxides have a germicidal property, which makes them useful for the treatment of infected wounds, fistulae, and other local septic processes. Of all fatty acids present in vegetable oils only unsaturated ones can easily react with ozone, these include oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. Of these, the oleic and linoleic acids are the most important, for they have the highest concentrations within these oils. The reaction between vegetable oil and ozone is an oxidation reaction, where peroxidic compounds are formed significantly rising the peroxide index of the oil dealt with, thus, favoring their oxidation processes and further degradation. Studies carried out have made it possible to elucidate and verify the different chemical structures in ozonated oil, which are: ozonides, hydroperoxides, acids, aldehydes, polymeric peroxidic compounds, and other peroxidic species. From the therapeutical point of view, the use of topical ozonated vegetable oils instead of ozone gas, for the treatment of infectious diseases is advantageous in having greater stability compared to ozone. This enables the application of the treatment to patients in an ambulatory way without requiring their everyday presence at the office. The use of topical ozonated vegetable oil medicament can be additive to other forms of ozone application through systemic as well as local ways. From the group of studies conducted it can be concluded that ozonated vegetable oils, in any of its therapeutical forms, are an antimicrobial product of a wide spectrum with inhibiting and lethal activity over positive and negative Gram bacteria, strains multiresistant to antibiotics, mycobacterium species, strains of the Candida genera, as well as some protozoa, such as Giardia lamblia , fungus, and virus. Very good results have been obtained in the treatment of tinea pedis, onychomycosis, impetigo, healing of wounds, psoriasis, giardiasis, and acute herpetic gingivostomatitis, stomatitis, acne, atopic dermatitis, vulvovaginitis, among others.