Is hydrogen peroxide bactericidal and viricidal?
Phagocytosis is the principal mechanism for the removal of pathological bacteria and fungi [34]. Activated phagocytic cells are drawn to the site of infection, attach to the infectious organisms, and ingest them. The killing of the organisms takes place inside the phagocytic cell. Enzymes generate superoxide free radicals which are fused by superoxide dismutase to produce hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes cellular chloride in the cell to the killing chloride free radical. Proponents of oxidative therapy propose that hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria because of their low levels of peroxide-destroying enzymes. But there is no evidence of oxygen intolerance in anaerobic organisms. Although proponents allude to a variety of antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-parasitic actions of hydrogen peroxide [13], they admit that no peroxide-related germicidal activity is found when hydrogen peroxide is infused into patients infected with a variety of organisms [19]. The absence of hydrogen
