LECTURES IN HYPERTEXT

By Thomas Lee Hesselink, MD

UNDERSTANDING
BIOREDOX
About The Author
This page presents an autobiography explaining the author's interests in science,
biochemistry, nutrition, prevention, alternative medicine, detoxification and
eventually oxidant therapies.

Mechanisms Of Biologic And Therapeutic Oxidation

This lecture serves as an introduction to the biochemistry and molecular
physiology of oxidation - reduction "redox". Included are explanations of free
radicals, electron transfer sequences in biology, hydrogen peroxide, lipid
peroxidation, quinones, redox cycling, biological terrains, certain reductants as
therapeutic targets, oxidant sensitive physiologic triggers such as glutathione,
effects of nutritional minerals and effects of toxic metals.

Oxidative Catalytic Therapy

This lecture reviews the discoveries of William Frederick Koch, Ph.D., M.D., from
historic, biochemical and clinical perspectives. Included are explanations of how
quinones and glyoxals redox cycle and thereby trigger an immunologic response.
"Koch Therapy" was found helpful anecdotally in most cases of allergy and
infection. It was even found helpful in some cases of cancer.

Mechanisms Of Immune Stimulation By Oxidation

This lecture explains in detail how living cells of the immune system both sense and
respond after exposure to low doses of oxidants. The transactivation sequence
involves glutathione, serine phosphokinase, inhibitory factor kappa B, ubiquitin,
proteasome, nuclear factor kappa B, and activator protein 1. Next DNA
transciption is induced producing messenger RNA which codes for the biosynthesis
and release of specific cytokines. Cytokines of various types perform specific local
and systemic signal functions.

Biological Electron Transfer Sequences

This lecture extensively reviews how reducing equivalents (electrons and hydrogen
atoms) are metabolized. These are passed from donors (reductants) to acceptors
(oxidants) along enzymatically controlled pathways. Examples of the carriers and

shuttles discussed are: iron, copper, manganese, molybdenum, iron sulfur centers,
alcohols, sugars, enediols, phenols, polyphenols, quinols, ascorbates, thiols,
glutathione, lipoic acid, cysteine residues in proteins, imines, pyridiniums, favins,
pyrroles, phenazines, biopterin and folates. The above provides a background in
biochemistry for understanding: free radicals and oxidant stress, quenching
mechanisms and antioxidants, redox control over synthesis and apoptosis, and
oxidant therapies.

The Biochemistry Of Free Radicals

This lecture reviews molecular species having a highly reactive unpaired electron.
How these are produced and quenched (as for example in lipid peroxidation) is
explained. The quenching of oxyradicals by antioxidants such as ascorbates,
tocopherols, polyphenols or thiols is discussed. Antioxidant adaptation through the
induction of enzymatic quenchers of reactive oxidant species is reviewed. Examples
are catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Regulating oxidant stress through
nutrition and prevention, and through detoxification as in chelation therapy is
explained.

Oxides Of Chlorine As Therapeutic Agents

Sodium chlorate, chlorine dioxide, acidified sodium chlorite, sodium chlorite,
hypochlorous acid, sodium hypochlorite, elemental chlorine and electrolyzed saline
have disinfectant and antibiotic effects. Some are produced internally as part of
natural immunity. At low doses some have been found useful as immune stimulants.
Available evidence shows potent activity against malaria and other infections.

Bibliography Of Biologic And Therapeutic Oxidation

This is an an hypertext active listing of references relevant to these lectures. It is
accessible directly by topic and from key words highlighted in certain lectures.

Dictionary Of Bio-Oxidative Medicine

This is a 400+ word dictionary of biochemical terms relevant to these lectures. It is
actively available by clicking on key words as presented in the texts or by clicking
on key words in its own index page.

Links To Redox Related Web Sites

These links are found by the author to be especially interesting and useful to
further the reader's knowledge of biochemistry in general and oxidant therapies in
particular such hyperbaric oxygen or ultraviolet hemoirradiation.

About The Persecution Of Alternatives

This explains with references how advances in alternative medicine are all too
often ignored or suppressed.