In Vitro Activity of Ozone/Oxygen Gaseous Mixture against a Caprine Herpesvirus Type 1 Strain Isolated from a Goat with Vaginitis

Alphaherpesviruses cause genital lesions and reproductive failure in both humans and animals. Their control is mainly based on prevention using hygienic prophylactic measures due to the absence of vaccines and limitations of antiviral drug therapy. Ozone is an oxidating gas showing a strong microbicidal activity on bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa. The present study assessed the in vitro virucidal and antiviral activity of ozone against caprine herpesvirus type 1 (CpHV-1). The virucidal activity of a gaseous mixture containing O₃ at 20 and 50 μg/mL was assessed against the virus at different contact times (30 s, 60 s, 90 s, 120 s, 180 s, and 300 s). Antiviral activity of a gaseous mixture containing O₃ at 20 and 50 μg/mL was evaluated against the virus after 30 s and 60 s. Ozone displayed significant virucidal activity when used at all the tested concentrations whilst significant antiviral activity was observed using ozone at 50 μg/mL. The gaseous mixture, tested in the present study, showed virucidal and antiviral activity against CpHV-1 in a dose- and time contact-dependent fashion. Ozone therapy could be evaluated in vivo for the treatment of CpHV-1-induced genital lesions in goats using topical applications.

Safety and Effects of a Commercial Ozone Foam Preparation on Endometrial Environment and Fertility of Mares

Mares' subfertility represents a complex diagnostic and therapeutic challenge and both clinical and subclinical endometritis are considered major causes of impaired fertility. Thanks to its properties, ozone has a big potential as a treatment for equine endometritis. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe the safety and the effects on endometrium and reproductive parameters of mares of a commercial ozone foam preparation (Riger Spray®). Twenty-four mares were treated during estrus: ozone group with an intrauterine instillation of ozone foam preparation (OG, n=16) and control group with 20 ml of lactated Ringer's solution (CG, n=8). Samples for endometrial cytology were collected before the ozone treatment (T0), after 24 h (T1), after one week (T2), two weeks (T3), and when the subsequent estrous phase was detected (T4). Furthermore, samples for histological examination and uterine swab for bacteriological examination were collected at T0 and T4. At T1, a statistically significant increase of endometrial inflammation in the OG mares compared to T0 (P<.05) and to CG at same time point (P<.05) was observed, but it was already resolved at T2. No differences in endometrial inflammation in CG, biopsy grade before and after the treatment in the two groups, number of mares pregnant at the end of the season and number of mares pregnant at the first cycle were observed. However, the number of inseminations required for pregnancy tended to be lower (P=.0711) in the OG (1.69±0.06) than in CG mares (2.60±0.89).

Ozone and its derivatives in veterinary medicine: A careful appraisal

The therapeutic use of ozone and its derivatives in the veterinary medicine it is still in an emergent stage. Gaseous ozone chemical instability makes necessary its extemporaneous preparation and the accordance about ozone treatments with the highest quality standards in publications is of paramount importance. Moreover, the numerous method of administration in different animal species, the prevalence of case reports, the deficiency of consistent evaluation of the outcomes, as well as the lack of standardization of the treatment operating procedures represents an open question for its spreading and official approval. The keywords "ozone", "ozonated", "ozonation" "ozonized", "ozonization", "oxygen-ozone therapy", "veterinary", "pets", "animal" were used to perform a literature review using PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Zotero databases with the temporal restriction for published manuscripts starting from 2010. All the researches were critically evaluated, regardless of the impact factor, if any, of the journals in which they were presented. The deepening of the mechanisms of action of this bio-oxidative therapy can open new horizons on its use. The distinctive condition to achieve such a scenario is an improved knowledge of the qualitative/quantitative characteristics of ozone and its derivatives. All with the aim of taking nothing away to the cited original research papers, but of improving the promising therapeutic implications of ozone therapy in veterinary medicine as a standardization stimulus about this therapeutic resource with multiple application specificities.

Endometrial angiogenesis induced by uterine insufflation with an oxygen-ozone gas mixture in mares

Ozone (O₃ ) therapy has been used to improve peripheral tissue oxygenation in humans and domestic animals. The goal of the present study was to characterize histological changes in the endometria of healthy equines following tissue exposure to gas mixtures enriched with different concentrations of O₃ . Cycling mares without endometrial degeneration were divided into three groups according to treatment (n = 9 mares/group). The uteri from the O₃ , ½O₃ and control groups were insufflated for 3 min with gas containing 42, 21 and 0 μg O₃ ml^-1 , respectively. Treatments were performed every three days from D0 to D6. Endometrial samples were collected immediately before the first treatment and 24 hr after the last treatment. The following nine histological parameters were evaluated: (i) the number of endometrial blood vessels, (ii) endometrial vascular degree (EVD), (iii) increase rate of blood vessels, (iv) increase rate of EVD, (v) glandular total area, (vi) glandular lumen area, (vii) intraglandular secretion area, (viii) glandular epithelial height and (ix) luminal epithelial height. In the O₃ group, a positive effect from treatment (p < .01) was detected for all vascular parameters (i, ii, iii and iv), glandular total area, intraglandular secretion area and glandular epithelial height. Compared to the control group, the ½O₃ group had greater (p < .01) EVD (84.1 ± 12%) and a higher increase rate of blood vessels (151.9 ± 47.1%). Uterine insufflation with low or intermediate concentrations of the O₂ -O₃ gas mixture induced endometrial angiogenesis. Morphometry, but not morphology, of the endometrial glands was affected by local O₃ therapy. These findings would be of great significance for the development of new therapies for infertility in mares.

The main uses of ozone therapy in diseases of large animals: A review

Ozone (O₃) is a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms, highly unstable, capable of reacting with various substances of the human and animal organism, giving rise to by-products that will participate in biochemical reactions. Thus, O₃ has a wide mechanism of action and can be used in different diseases of large animals. In those animals, the therapy is used mainly in reproductive diseases and wound healing.

Ozone therapy: a potential therapeutic adjunct for improving female reproductive health

Ozone is emerging as a new adjunct therapeutic agent for female infertility. We here present a review of the literature, to date, pertaining to the effect of ozone therapy on tubal, ovarian, endometrial, and vaginal factors that could potentially affect female fertility. It also presents data pertaining to the relationship of ozone therapy on pelvic adhesion formation. Most data were performed on animals and very few human studies existed in the literature. Results suggested that ozone therapy could have beneficial effect on tubal occlusion, could protect from endometritis and vaginitis, might protect ovaries from ischemia and oocyte loss and finally might lead to less formation of pelvic adhesions. There is a critical need for human studies pertaining to ozone therapy, especially using safe methods of administration, such as transdermally or intravaginally, on female fertility.

Ozone therapy in veterinary medicine: A review

Ozone (O₃) is a triatomic form of oxygen. As O₃ rapidly dissociates into water and releases a reactive form of oxygen that may oxidize cells, the gas mixture of O₃/O₂ is used in medicine. ATP is widely available for cellular activity. O₃ can be administered via the systemic and local routes. Although O₃ is known as one of the most powerful oxidants, it also promotes antioxidant enzymes. Additionally, it stimulates some of the cells of the immune system and inactivates pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, yeasts, protozoa, and viruses. Owing to these activities, O₃ is used to improve several diseases, both in human and in veterinary medicine. Considering the wide scope of O₃ application, the aim of this review was to reiterate the mechanisms of action of O₃ and its utilization in different mammalian species (bovine, ovine-caprine, equine, canine, porcine).

Prophylaxis and therapeutic potential of ozone in buiatrics: Current knowledge

Ozone therapy has been in use since 1896 in the USA. As a highly reactive molecule, ozone may inactivate bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeasts and protozoans, stimulate the oxygen metabolism of tissue, treat diseases, activate the immune system, and exhibit strong analgesic activity. More recently, ozone has been used in veterinary medicine, particularly in buiatrics, but still insufficiently. Medical ozone therapy has shown effectiveness as an alternative to the use of antibiotics, which are restricted to clinical use and have been withdrawn from non-clinical use as in-feed growth promoters in animal production. This review is an overview of current knowledge regarding the preventive and therapeutic effects of ozone in ruminants for the treatment of puerperal diseases and improvement in their fertility. In particular, ozone preparations have been tested in the treatment of reproductive tract lesions, urovagina and pneumomovagina, metritis, endometritis, fetal membrane retention and mastitis, as well as in the functional restoration of endometrium in dairy cows and goats. In addition, the preventive use of the intrauterine application of ozone has been assessed in order to evaluate its effectiveness in improving reproductive efficiency in dairy cows. No adverse effects were observed in cows and goats treated with ozone preparations. Moreover, there is a lot of evidence indicating the advantages of ozone preparation therapy in comparison to the application of antibiotics. However, there are certain limitations on ozone use in veterinary medicine and buiatrics, such as inactivity against intracellular microbes and selective activity against the same bacterial species, as well as the induction of tissue inflammation through inappropriate application of the preparation.