Since the COVID-19 pandemic, HOCl has emerged as one of man’s most potent and safest disinfectants. Read more to learn about Hypochlorous acid, also known as HOCl, one of the greatest scientific marvels of the 21st century.

HOCl was first discovered in 1834 by Antoine Jérôme Balard (1802 – 1876), a French chemist (also known for his discovery of the element, Bromine). HOCl plays a critical role as a vital component of the human body’s innate immune system, which is our primary internal defense system against foreign pathogens.(1) HOCl is one of the most essential substances produced by white blood cells (or leukocytes) as part of the body’s response to infection and injury. Many different types of white blood cells produce HOCl, including neutrophils, eosinophils, mononuclear phagocytes, and B lymphocytes. Within these cells, an enzyme called myeloperoxidase (MPO) is located within the mitochondria (the energy-generating factory) and is responsible for producing HOCl. 

Human genetic conditions such as “primary MPO deficiency,” an autosomal recessive disorder, can be life-threatening, involving the development of severe infections due to the lack of HOCl production.(2) Acquired or secondary MPO deficiency can occur in many other conditions such as diabetes mellitus, pregnancy, iron deficiency, kidney transplantation, thrombotic diseases, ANCA-associated vasculitis or other granulomatous disorders, lead poisoning, obstructive jaundice, hematologic disorders, severe infections and cancers such as in acute and chronic myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, polycythemia vera, Hodgkin lymphoma. This reflects the critical importance of HOCl to human health and sustaining life, for that matter. HOCl is both a weak acid and a powerful oxidizing agent.(3) This enables HOCl to function as a powerful microbicidal agent, highly effective against the whole spectrum of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, yeast, and molds.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, HOCl has emerged as one of man’s most potent and safest disinfectants. It has broad-spectrum efficiency against pathogens causing human disease, including some of the most resistant agents such as prion proteins of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), human papillomavirus (HPV)16, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus Fumigatus, norovirus, and biofilm-producing organisms.(4-6) This makes commercially manufactured HOCl a vital commodity for disinfection from the home to virtually every environment and as an essential instrument in every public health program to protect human welfare. Many published studies have also shown that HOCl harnesses important anti-inflammatory effects and stimulates rapid wound healing.(6) Therefore, HOCl has become a critical staple resource for managing wounds and many other applications in medicine, dentistry, veterinary care, and other industries. Technological developments enabling the production of a large volume of high-quality, stable, pure HOCl, such as that debuted by Hypristine, an industry leader in HOCl manufacturing & technology, are critical to support growing population demands. 

References:

1. Block, M.S. & Rowan, B.G. Hypochlorous Acid: A Review. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 78, 1461-1466 (2020).
2. Pahwa, R., Modi, P. & Jialal, I. Myeloperoxidase Deficiency. in StatPearls (Treasure Island (FL), 2023).
3. Ulfig, A. & Leichert, L.I. The effects of neutrophil-generated hypochlorous acid and other hypohalous acids on host and pathogens. Cell Mol Life Sci 78, 385-414 (2021).
4. Hughson, A.G., et al. Inactivation of Prions and Amyloid Seeds with Hypochlorous Acid. PLoS Pathog 12, e1005914 (2016).
5. Meyers, J., Ryndock, E., Conway, M.J., Meyers, C. & Robison, R. Susceptibility of high-risk human papillomavirus type 16 to clinical disinfectants. J Antimicrob Chemother 69, 1546-1550 (2014).
6. Sakarya, S., Gunay, N., Karakulak, M., Ozturk, B. & Ertugrul, B. Hypochlorous Acid: an ideal wound care agent with powerful microbicidal, antibiofilm, and wound healing potency. Wounds 26, 342-350 (2014).