Oxygen is the source of life. Until recently, the only medically documented method for increasing oxygen levels was by enclosing patients in hyperbaric oxygen chambers. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been used all over the world. High concentrations of oxygen in human tissue are pharmaceutically beneficial and have healing properties.
The drawback is that these chambers are costly, technically complex, and therefore available to only a limited number of patients.
Besides molecular oxygen (O₂), its active form demonstrates enhanced behavior and can be formulated in patient-friendly applications such as all sorts of liquid and solid-state preparations: balm, cream, gel, rinse, powder formulations, etc.
The most commonly used active oxygen donors are (carbamide) peroxides, which liberate oxygen radicals/hydroxyl radicals (O· and ·OH). These oxygen radicals are damaging species.
For this reason, cosmetic manufacturers add Vitamins C and E to skin creams to capture the free oxygen radicals penetrating the skin from the atmosphere. These radicals create skin damage and will lead to accelerated skin aging.
Although these oxygen radicals are highly effective, they severely damage skin tissue, form toxic substances and damage DNA. Therefore, they cannot be applied in pharmaceutical and OTC products.
Ardoz has successfully stabilized active oxygen in liquid and solid-state applications, opening the door to broader use in cosmetic and medical device applications.
The Ardox-X® complex consists of a suitable oxygen donating compound (as described in patent WO2006/038802) combined with specific carriers mentioned in the patent, such as glycerol and cellulose. Together with specific stabilisers and modulators, these complexes can act more specifically on target sites.
Due to the nature of these complexes, there is less tendency to form molecular oxygen when the complex decomposes, compared to the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. This means that significantly lower concentrations of the oxygen donor can achieve similar results to hydrogen peroxide in certain important applications.
By choosing specific stabilisers and carriers in an application, one can increase the oxygen concentration and control the release time of the active oxygen (fast vs. slow release).
When a product, in which the Ardox-X® complex is present, is applied on the skin or in the oral cavity, the complex will be disrupted. Due to excessive saliva, enzymes, trans epidermal water loss (TEWL, pH), and active oxygen in a non-radical character is released; hence, anionic types of oxygen species are generated. The latter are safe and do not have the damaging behaviour of the free radical species generated by hydrogen peroxide.
The benefit of these “soft” active oxygen species is that they can be used for many cosmetic and medical device applications without harming tissue or cells.
Indications: tooth bleaching, daily antibacterial dental applications (toothpaste, mouthwash), oral mucositis, gingivitis, periodontitis, peri-implantitis, psoriasis, eczema, onychomycosis, and tinea pedis.
The Ardox-X® complex is stable in aqueous compositions within packaging (balm, cream, shampoo, gel, etc.) as well as in powder formulations.
The mechanism of action of the Ardox-X® active complex is based on an active oxygen donating system that increases oxygen content in tissue, leading to whitening, antibacterial, antifungal and other beneficial effects.
