Immune system

January 2016

By Natalia A. Zhevago, MD, PhD

Specialist in photomedicine and photoimmunology Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia

THE EFFECT OF BIOPTRON LIGHT THERAPY ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Leading Russian clinicians have at this point proven the wide therapeutic potential of BIOPTRON light therapy. It is widely used in rheumatology, sports medicine, and rehabilitation – for treatment of diseases and traumas of the supportive-locomotion apparatus, in dermatology and surgery (atopical dermatitis, acne, psoriasis, burns, bedsores, trophic venous ulcers, “diabetic foot”, posttraumatic and post-surgery wounds, etc.), in cardiology (for correction of metabolic syndrome), in cosmetology and stomatology, etc.

Such wide spectrum of therapeutic effects is due to a diversity of positive functional changes induced by light in the human body: stimulation of blood circulation in macro and microvessels, normalization of its transport functions (including oxygen-transport and detoxification), anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, and analgesic effects.

With BIOPTRON’s treatment of many diseases, the involvement of the immune system is obvious: wound healing, skin pathology, some diseases of joints and respiratory organs (bronchial asthma), etc. But the most illustrative example of effect of BIOPTRON light on immunity is its successful use in treatment and prevention of so often during winter-autumn seasonal viral diseases of the respiratory pathways, complicated in some cases by addition of secondary bacterial infections.

Russian pediatricians have proven that BIOPTRON therapy helps to prevent disease in 60% of cases during the flu epidemic. At the first sign of illness, light therapy promotes rapid regression of symptoms, reduces the risk of complications 1.5 - 2 fold, and in 67% of cases prevents a recurrence of the disease within 6 months.

A course of BIOPTRON therapy leads to complete recovery and significant improvement in 92% of children, while the effectiveness of drug therapy does not exceed 70%. Positive changes are noted after the 1st light treatment, while the 2nd or 3rd procedure reduces coughing, throat hyperemia, improves the nasal breathing, sleeping, appetite, reduces fatigue and irritability.

Clinical data indicates the positive effect of BIOPTRON light on bronchial patency, the state of autonomic nervous system, cardiac activity, etc. Normalization of blood indices (leukocytes count, level of inflammatory markers and immunoglobulins) was also recorded. For these reasons, BIOPTRON light therapy can improve the efficacy of specific vaccination: antibodies are formed faster at the higher concentration and the period of their activity is longer.

Besides this, an important mechanism of recovery involves the improvement of blood microcirculation and tissue oxygen supply. BIOPTRON light therapy has no side effects, no age restrictions, and can be used from the first hours of child's life. The method is indispensable for children attending groups (schools and kindergartens), as well as for the most "unprotected" category of children - suffering from diabetes, allergies, neurological diseases. Light therapy has immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, improves the process of the organism adaptation.

A pronounced correction of immunity disturbances in parallel with improvement of clinical parameters was also substantiated by other Russian authors who used BIOPTRON light in a combination with the standard treatment at other immune-dependent diseases: of skin (herpetic infections – Herpes zoster, psoriasis, atopical dermatitis and eczema, etc.), joints (rheumatoid arthritis, Bechterev’s disease), ENT diseases (tonsillitis, maxillary sinusitis, otitis), etc.

It is to be noted that our own studies of immunological effects, which were carried out at Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, have been performed in most case with participation of apparently healthy volunteers of both gender, various age, i.e., with the mean statistical human population. This fact indicates a possibility of correction of the immune homeostasis parameters not only at treatment of some particular pathology, but also in cases of the absence of pathological changes in the organism and the usefulness of application of the BIOPTRON light for their prevention.

On the whole, the scientific data allow using the polychromatic polarized light for correction of the anti-infection and anti-tumor immunity, for the purpose of prevention and treatment of quite a few diseases of quit different etiopathogenesis. An increase of IgA concentration allows using BIOPTRON light to improve protection of mucosae – for purposes of treatment and prevention of the respiratory tract infections, acute respiratory diseases, etc., as well as of allergic pathology that is often accompanied by a decrease of the IgA level.

A decrease of concentration of circulating immune complexes in blood seems to be prognostically favorable, as it is one of mechanisms of the antigen elimination. A decrease in blood of levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α) prevention of the massive release of other inflammation factors (IL-1β) as well as an increase of the content of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β1) can be an important mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effect of BIOPTRON light therapy.

Stimulation of the IFN-γ production can lead to activation of cellular immunity (phagocytosis of monocytes/macrophages, cytotoxic activity of NK-cells and cytotoxicCD8+T-lymphocytes) and on the whole – to enhancement of the anti-viral and anti-tumor defense. The absence of the effect on the content of IL-1β and IL-4 (“provocateurs” of allergy) allows using BIOPTRON light therapy for treatment of patients with allergic pathology. The inverse dependence of the light effects on the initial level of immunological parameters (pre-values) indicates a regulatory character of its action on the immune system.

We recommend BIOPTRON light therapy to every family for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

SHORT INFORMATION:

BIOPTRON light therapy is a unique method of immunomodulation and adaptation, is able not only to protect children and adults during seasonal respiratory infections, but also to support the organism after surgery, traumas and stress. We also recommend BIOPTRON light therapy as a preventive treatment of oncological diseases, since it improves efficacy of anti-tumor immunity.

Reference List, (Dr. Zhevago et al.)

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Zhevago N.A., Samoilova K.A., Obolenskaya K.D. The regulatory effect of polychromatic (visible and infrared) light on human humoral immunity. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences – 2004. – Vol. 3, №.1. – P.102-108.
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