If one goes to the periodic chart and checks the elements known to man there are about 108 elements. Some of these are very rare and some are very plentiful. These 100 plus elements can combine in different combinations to make up thousands of compounds, many of which are known to man and some of which are not known to man.

Why is Oxy-Drops Different Than Bleach?

It appears to the average person the only difference between these two compounds is that NZYMES Oxy-Drops contains one more oxygen atom than the bleach. i.e. (Oxy-Drops = NaClO2) vs.(bleach = NaClO). In many instances one atom of oxygen, as it does in this example, can change a substance tremendously. For example; take one molecule of hydrogen gas, (H2), a very explosive element, and add one atom of oxygen to it and what do you get, H2O, liquid (water), that all plants and animals need to sustain life.

** Just a note: Hydrogen will probably replace hydrocarbons to fuel our automobiles in the near future. Isn't chemistry wonderful!

The chlorite ion (ClO2-) and the hypochlorite ion (ClO-) are both oxidizing agents. The chlorite ion is the stronger oxidizing agent (i.e. this is good). The hypochlorite ion is poisonous (i.e. - this is bad). The chlorite ion has been proven to have a very low level of toxicity; a therapeutic dose being may times removed from toxic effect.

Now as Paul Harvey would say the following is the rest of the story. First let us look at the chemistry of NaClO (household bleach). The hypochlorite ion is basic, and in an acid solution exists as the weak hypochlorous acid, HOCl. Because H+ is needed for this reaction to occur, the potency of HOCl as an oxidizing agent increases with the acidity of the solution. In particular, HOCl in a strong acid (for instance the stomach with a pH of 3-4) can even oxidize chloride, (table salt is sodium chloride), to produce chlorine and chlorine is volatile and toxic. This is why NaOCl is poisonous. Enough said about NaOCl.

What Makes Oxy-Drops So effective?

Let's look at the chemistry involved with Oxy-Drops. In either topical or internal use, Oxy-Drops can act as a non-specific biocide. The chlorite ion, a major constituent of Oxy-Drops, and one of its reaction products chlorine dioxide, are extremely effective virucides, bactericides, and fungicides.

Does The Chlorite Ion Fight Pathogenic Microorganisms In The Body?

The chlorite ion is biocidal, yet less toxic than chlorine dioxide since it is a less powerful oxidant in the ionic form. At the pH of the stomach (pH 3-4) one can expect chlorine dioxide (NOT Free Chlorine) to be produced from the chlorite ions. This will be a transient phenomenon, ultimately yielding chlorite ions, again, which will be absorbed by the body, passed through the lower gastrointestinal tract, and excreted by the kidneys. If a substantial dose of the NZYMES Oxy-Drops has been taken, one could hypothesize that the chlorite ions and chlorine dioxide would act against ANY pathogenic microorganism in the body.

Does The Chlorite Ion Interact With Enzymes?

Another potential mechanism of the Oxy-Drops involves utilization of chlorite by cells, particularly leukocytes, as a substrate to increase the efficiency of a group of enzymes know as peroxidases. These enzymes are an important component in the immune system since they are involved in the oxidation of foreign material (e.g., virus). There are two interesting outcomes of chlorite utilization by these enzymes. The first is that the immune system may be directly enhanced by the increased rate of oxidation of foreign material by the leukocytes. The second result is an increased ability by all metabolically active cells to scavenge free radicals. The latter result is interesting in light of some contemporary theories attributing the cause of disease, debilitating aspects of aging and onset of cancer to excessive levels of free radicals. The source of free radicals may be environmental (e.g., UV radiation) or metabolic
(e.g., H2O2).

Does Chlorine Dioxide Fight Bacteria?

Chlorine dioxide is a highly effective, environmentally friendly microbiocide. Chlorine dioxide penetrates the cell wall of pathogenic microorganisms and disrupts metabolic functions. Many pathogenic bacteria (e.g., salmonella and E. coli) contain an enzyme known as a "Respiratory Nitrate Reductase". When chlorine dioxide penetrates the bacteria it disrupts this enzyme and kills the harmful bacteria. Beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract lack respiratory nitrate reductase enzyme, so the chlorine dioxide does not affect them.

We hope the above information has helped you to understand how Oxy-Drops works, in a positive manner, to help the body of both animals and people. To the layman, chemistry be confusing and often misinterpreted. Though NaOCl (bleach) and Oxy-Drops (stabilized NaClO2) are similar products, to the body, they are as different as day and night.