HOCl’s range of activity
HOCl has been found to eradicate all bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, and viruses (including covid-19), break down biofilms in planktonic and biofilm bacteria in drinking water and assist in wound healing.
But HOCl is not just a disinfectant, it is a fundamental component of animal and plant physiology. For example, it is a part of the biological mechanism involved in regulating life stage changes in both animals and plants (e.g. hatching from egg and seed germination). Produced as a reaction to stress (environmental and biological) it is part of an “oxidative burst” in response to pathogen infection and environmental stress.
In health, oxidation by reactive oxidative species (ROS) such as HOCl has to be balanced with reduction, for instance by anti-oxidants such as taurine, lycopene, melatonin, ascorbic acid and β-carotene. Balance of reduction/oxidation is vital to stable metabolism.
Patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) have oxidase defective genes. This genetic immunodeficiency makes them susceptible to repeated infection because defensive oxidants (e.g. HOCl) are not produced.
