Authored by Yuhong Dong, M.D., Ph.D. via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
A low-cost, easily made natural solution can produce an antiviral and antibacterial effect that kills a wide range of microorganisms in minutes.
This potent weapon is hypochlorous acid.
Application Is Based on pH
While hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is naturally produced by our white blood cells and is a key part of our innate immune system, it can also be made from electrolyzed saline water, a process invented over a century ago in Russia.
Electrolyzed water (EW), also called electrolyzed saline or electrolyzed oxidizing water, can be categorized into different types based on its pH value, each with unique applications.
Among the various types of EW, neutral electrolyzed salt water (NEW) and slightly acid-electrolyzed water (SAEW) are particularly interesting due to their neutral or near-neutral pH levels. These types of EW are relatively safe to use on our skin, nasal and oral mucosa, and wound tissues. They are widely used across the food, agriculture, and medical industries for disinfecting and cleaning purposes. This includes treating drinking water, wastewater, food, utensils, and hard surfaces.
Hypochlorous acid is the key active ingredient of NEW and SAEW, and pH plays a critical role. A pH greater than 7 will produce more hypochlorite (OCl⁻) in the solution, whereas a strongly acidic pH, will produce toxic chlorine (Cl₂). The concentration of hypochlorous acid is most dominant when the pH is close to neutral or slightly acidic.
Ming-Yih Chang, a senior lecturer in the Department of Biomechatronics at Yilan University in Taiwan, told The Epoch Times in an email, “Many factors impact the precise amount of HOCl. For example, according to a critical review in 2008, the relative distribution of the main aqueous chlorine species is produced per the graph below where the temperature and the chloride concentration are provided.”
Different From Bleach
Hypochlorite (OCl⁻), a key ingredient of liquid bleach, is similar to hypochlorous acid—both can kill viruses and germs. However, they are different chemicals with different properties and applications.
OCl⁻ is an ion commonly associated with sodium and calcium salts. When the pH is greater than 8, it’s often labeled as liquid bleach. As a strong oxidizer, it can cause corrosion, resulting in skin burns or eye damage, and can be harmful when inhaled.
HOCl is a weak, nonirritating acid that is much safer than hypochlorite. When prepared correctly, it can be used safely and widely for many clinical applications in multiple industries. As a disinfectant, HOCl is 80 to 200 times more effective than bleach, yet is nontoxic to humans.
Effective Against COVID-19
HOCl gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now recommends HOCl as a safe and effective disinfectant against COVID-19.
A randomized controlled trial, still in preprint and not yet peer-reviewed, was conducted in Mexico City among 170 frontline medical staff to investigate the effectiveness of a type of neutral electrolyzed water in reducing COVID-19 risk. All trial subjects wore adequate professional protection equipment, as required by standard COVID-19 safety protocols. Participants were divided equally into a control group and a prophylactic group.
The prophylactic group participants followed a protocol using a NEW solution in the form of a nasal spray and mouth rinse three times a day for four weeks. This group had a significantly decreased incidence of COVID-19 infections with only 1.2 percent infected compared to 18.8 percent in the control group.
Of particular note is that no individual using NEW reported any side effects, as the solution is nonirritating.
Skin irritation is a particular problem resulting from alcohol-based hand sanitizers used daily in medical offices. These can cause hand dermatitis and damage the skin barrier, compromising the first line of defense. The World Health Organization recognizes that a major challenge to hand hygiene in health care is the need for safer care.
Curious scientists have conducted tests on HOCl to determine its potential benefits for COVID-19 patients.
A clinical trial was conducted with 214 ambulatory COVID-19 patients from multiple hospitals. The study involved 104 patients who were given only usual medical care. The remaining 110 patients were given both usual medical care and NEW via nebulization and/or intravenous administration.
The NEW was provided four times a day for 10 days with successive dose increases using a diluted version of electrolyzed saline with a neutral pH (6.0 to 7.5).
In addition, when COVID‑19 symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea occurred, 30 milliliters of oral electrolyzed saline was added four times a day for as long as the gastrointestinal symptoms lasted, and for two more days after the symptoms disappeared.
Overall, the NEW treatment decreased the risk of hospitalization by 89 percent and the risk of death by 96 percent.
Patient symptoms improved rapidly after 24 hours, including fatigue, headache, sore throat, eye pain, myalgia, fever, and oxygen saturation. Inflammatory markers were also reduced.
On the fifth day, the group who received the NEW treatment had an 18-fold greater chance of achieving an acceptable symptom state than the group who received only usual medical care.
The dose-dependent response to the NEW treatment suggests a causal relationship.
The pH of the NEW solution used in the study ranged from 6.0 to 7.5, and the concentration of active chlorine and oxygen species used in these experiments was no more than 20 parts per million (ppm).
Antiviral Function
HOCl has demonstrated the ability to quickly inactivate several viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis B (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and norovirus.
The effective chloride concentration in the HBV and HIV studies was 4.2 ppm, and SARS-CoV-2 ranged from 66 to 109 ppm.
HOCl is naturally produced by our immune cells to fight infections. Our neutrophils and white blood cells release a mixture of chemicals, including HOCl, to kill germs and viruses.
Neutrally-charged HOCl easily penetrates the cell walls of pathogens to kill them from the inside out. However, bleach is negatively charged, making it rather difficult to penetrate viruses or germs. This is one major advantage of HOCl compared to bleach.
Huiwen Ji, who holds a doctorate in chemistry from Princeton University and is an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Utah, explained the disinfecting mechanism of HOCl.
“When saline water is electrolyzed, external electric energy is transferred to the chloride ion in the solution. As a result, the chloride anions are oxidized to HOCl with chlorine now in a relatively unstable +1 oxidation state.”
“Thus, HOCl is an oxidizing agent that tends to grab electrons from other molecules. This process can break the chemical bonds in the target molecules,” she said.
When the structure of these biomolecules is destroyed, their proteins can no longer function. Without adequately functioning proteins, viruses and germs cannot survive throughout their life cycles.
HOCl can also break the DNA or RNA of viruses and germs, rendering them harmless and unable to replicate.
When exposed to viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the timing of using an HOCl nasal spray is critical to mitigating the risk of infection.
In December 2022, scientists from Stanford University identified the nasal cavity as the main entry point for the COVID-19 virus and specified the time window for prevention.
The surface of our nasal mucosa is covered by a tightly-linked thin layer of epithelial cells that forms a complete barrier. On top of the cells is a thick and elastic three-dimensional chain-link fence composed of mucin, a sticky molecule that can trap all the debris of viruses and germs. Additionally, hundreds of spaghetti-like appendages, known as cilia, move slowly like a river to clear away all the harmful substances from the mucus layer.
Researchers found that the virus takes at least 24 hours to penetrate the surface mucus layer before it can enter deeply into the cells. Accordingly, using an HOCl nasal spray as quickly as possible within this 24-hour window could effectively disinfect the nasal passages and potentially prevent the virus from establishing an infection.
Broad Use
HOCl has been extensively used in multiple fields, including the health care industry.
A study in the Journal of Microbiology found that HOCl significantly reduced bacteria on toothbrushes. The concentration of HOCl was estimated to be 1 ppm to 30 ppm.
HOCl is often used to treat blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) by reducing the bacterial load on the surface of the periocular skin. Twenty minutes after applying a saline hygiene solution containing HOCl at 100 ppm, a greater than 99 percent reduction in the staphylococcal load was achieved.
HOCl is an effective agent for use in wound care. In a comparative study in patients with open wounds, hypochlorous acid used in a commercial solution significantly lowered the bacterial count by 10,000 to 1 million times without a rebound effect in the comparative saline group. Postoperative closure failure occurred in more than 80 percent of patients in the saline group versus 25 percent of those in the HOCl group. One of the main reasons for the failure of postoperative closure is infection.
Microorganisms can grow on the surfaces of biomaterials, such as dentures or dialysis equipment. These surface-bound microorganisms, known as biofilms, have unique characteristics with respect to gene expression and growth rate.
HOCl is effective for cleaning biofilm-contaminated dental implant surfaces. Compared to two other disinfecting substances—sodium hypochlorite and chlorhexidine—HOCl at 180 ppm reduced the lipopolysaccharide, a harmful substance produced by Porphyromonas gingivalis, a pathogenic bacterium associated with periodontal disease. The use of HOCl in the mouth did not result in any adverse effects.
Fogging with HOCl can disinfect large spaces such as medical and dental offices.
Recent research on mice found that applying a topical application of HOCl on the skin can prevent the development of tumors and inflammation that are caused by UV rays. This discovery suggests that HOCl may have the potential to prevent skin cancer in humans caused by sun exposure.
HOCl has also been used to disinfect drinking water and recreational fresh water.
Spraying with HOCl at 100 to 200 ppm decreased the avian influenza virus (bird flu) to an undetectable level within five seconds, suggesting that HOCl can be used in a spray to inactivate the virus at the farm level. An emerging issue in the United States is the highly pathogenic bird flu threat. HOCl spray offers a viable solution to help control the spread of this disease.
Make It Yourself
Everyone can make HOCl at home. You’ll need a 1-liter hypochlorous acid solution generator, which you can easily find online for around $100.
Depending on the type of device used, the concentration of HOCl generated will typically be between 50 to 200 ppm, a commonly used concentration for daily use applications.
Ms. Ji said, “Prepare a 0.9% NaCl solution and dilute it between a few and dozens of times, then put it into an electrolyzer. White vinegar containing acetic acid (CH3COOH) may be added to adjust the pH value to facilitate the formation of HOCl.”
According to Ms. Ji, “You must adhere to the guidelines provided by the instrument manufacturer because each machine operates with its unique formula and parameter. Typically, the process is straightforward and involves pressing a button and waiting a few minutes for the reaction to produce a desired amount of HOCl.”
For example, one particular protocol says to add 1 gram of non-iodized salt, 1 liter of water, and one teaspoon of white vinegar to the 1-liter hypochlorous acid generator, press the button and wait 8 minutes. The 1 liter of HOCl will be ready for immediate use.
Vinegar is essential to adjusting the pH to the proper value to produce the right amount of HOCl.
Parts per million (ppm) indicates the concentration of a substance in a solution. This is calculated by dividing the substance’s mass or volume by the solution’s total mass or volume and then multiplying the result by 1 million.
Using ppm is a more convenient unit of measure for describing the concentration of tiny substances in a solution. You can convert one ppm to a percentage by dividing it by 10,000. For instance, 100 ppm of HOCl is equivalent to 0.01 percent of HOCl. If you need help with the calculation, you can use this useful tool.
When choosing a device to produce electrolyzed water, Mr. Chang says, “There are many more influencing factors, such as the quality of the electrode. Better ones include platinum, iridium, and rhodium. The electricity’s duration and current size can also impact the outcome.”
At a concentration of 200 ppm, HOCl was shown to effectively decontaminate inert surfaces carrying the norovirus and other enteric viruses in one minute. At 20 ppm, it was still effective in disinfecting viruses within 10 minutes.
One study has shown that 200 ppm of available chlorine can inactivate 25 different viruses in just 10 minutes. Low concentrations, like 25 ppm, can quickly kill mycoplasma and vegetative bacteria.
Safety and Limitations
Following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s acute four-hour inhalation toxicity protocol, rats inhaled a mist containing 52 ppm of HOCl for four hours. Researchers observed no adverse effects in behavior or appearance.
HOCl is generally considered safe due to the low chloride concentration in the HOCl solution. The commonly used concentrations for health care or life care are between 50 and 200 ppm for skin disinfection, 50 to 100 ppm for mouthwash, and 50 to 200 ppm for surface cleaning, with higher concentrations for wound care and food contact surfaces.
Remember, these concentrations are approximate guidelines and can vary depending on the specific application and manufacturer’s recommendations. Always follow instructions carefully, and when in doubt, consult with a health care professional or relevant authority for specific advice.
The long-term potential toxicity of a low chloride concentration is still uncertain, and further studies assessing chronic exposure to HOCl are needed.
Regarding the safety of HOCl, Ms. Ji advised, “When used within the suggested concentration range, HOCl proves to be relatively safe for household applications. Once reacted with bacteria and viruses, HOCl reverts to a highly stable chloride form, akin to other electrolyte salts in the human body. But remember that using HOCl at concentrations higher than recommended by the manufacturer can be very corrosive and mixing it with other household detergents may lead to hazardous side reactions.”
“When used at home, please always follow the precise instructions and do not exceed the recommended usage,” she added.
According to Mr. Chang, “One side effect is that [HOCl] may corrode metals, such as those in cow and pig houses, after application of the HOCl solution sprays at 200pm for a long time. But 200 pm does not harm the skin. Furthermore, a low concentration of several dozen ppm is enough for general household use.”
HOCl is less stable when exposed to UV radiation, sunlight, air, or higher temperatures (greater than 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit). Therefore, HOCl solutions should be tightly sealed and stored in a cool, dark place.
It’s important to avoid mixing HOCl with other detergents or solutions. When the pH value changes, HOCl may change to Cl₂ or OCl⁻, which is either toxic or can cause irritation.
Direct exposure to chloride (in the form of Cl₂ or OCl⁻) at low concentrations of one to 10 ppm, can cause skin and eye irritation, and inhaling it can irritate the respiratory tract.
The shelf life of HOCl is relatively short; it is effective for up to two weeks when stored properly.
Low Cost, Yet Highly Effective
How can a simple solution generated by salty water have such powerful and wide-ranging antiviral and antibacterial effects?
HOCl is highly effective, yet inexpensive and easily obtained from nature, much like sunlight, air, and water, which all profoundly impact our lives.
Because it is both environmentally friendly and relatively safe, HOCl is an excellent choice for many applications. Additionally, its affordability makes it accessible for large-scale applications.
The medical industry has implemented many decontamination methods, which are often expensive, ineffective, and can leave chemical residues, posing a risk to human health.
There are many natural remedies on Earth to cure or prevent diseases that people may not be fully aware of.
Ivermectin, derived from a microorganism in soil, has remarkable antiparasitic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties and has helped many patients effectively treat COVID-19.
Another example is interferon, which our bodies produce to stop viral replication. The pharmaceutical industry has developed interferon to treat hepatitis B and C and COVID-19.
Nature is a bountiful source of healing for humans, generously providing numerous benefits at no cost. It is an endless source of undiscovered benefits, waiting to be explored by those willing to embrace its wonders. With its abundant resources, nature offers us infinite possibilities to improve our health and well-being.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 05/28/2024 – 22:40
