title: Ozone oxidative post-conditioning reduces oxidative protein damage in patients with disc hernia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although inflammation in disc hernia (DH) has been recognized and it is a well-known process mediated by loss of the cellular redox balance, only a few studies about the impact of chronic oxidative stress on this neurological disorder have been made. Ozone therapy has been widely used with clinical efficacy in DH. This work aimed at characterizing the systemic redox status of patients with low back pain and neck pain as well as studying if ozone oxidative post-conditioning modified the pathological oxidative stress and protected against oxidative protein damage and if there is any relationship between oxidative changes and pain in both DH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Redox status of 33 patients with diagnosis of DH by computerized axial tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and clinical evaluations was studied. Ozone was administered by paravertebral way. After ozone treatment, plasmatic levels of antioxidant/pro-oxidant markers, pain, and life quality disability parameters were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred percent of patients showed a severe oxidative stress. Major changes in superoxide dismutase activity, total hydroperoxides, advanced oxidation protein products, fructolysine content, and malondialdehyde were observed. After ozone oxidative post-conditioning, there was a re-establishment of patients' cellular redox balance as well as a decrease in pain in both DH. A relationship between indicators of oxidative protein damage and pain was demonstrated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ozone therapy protected against oxidation of proteins and reduced the pain. Relationship between markers of oxidative protein damage, disability parameters, and pain suggests the role of oxidative stress in the pathological processes involved in DH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology/Toxicology from Institute of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Havana, Cuba. olga@infomed.sld.cu
authors.forename: Olga Sonia
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: León Fernández
authors.forename: Marelis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pantoja
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Díaz Soto
authors.forename: Jaqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dranguet
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García Insua
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Viebhan-Hánsler
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menéndez Cepero
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Calunga Fernández
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010126:Ozone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011506:Proteins; D010126:Ozone