While our immune systems have been harnessing the powers of hypochlorous acid inside our bodies for some time, the medical field has popularized the usage of manufactured hypochlorous acid for over a century.

Hypochlorous acid was first identified as a distinct chemical entity more than 150 years ago by the French chemist Antoine Jérôme Balard in 1834. Balard was studying ways to use chlorine and water to alter dyes when he concluded that there had to be a distinct acid in his solutions under specific conditions. It reacted in a very special way, and he knew that nothing else would be able to do that — not elemental chlorine (Cl) itself, nor hypochlorite bleach (NaClO). He didn’t know what the structure was, but he named it Acide Hypocloreux (Hypochlorous Acid), and his intuition proved right; fortunately for us, it is a compound with remarkable abilities that work to our advantage inside living cells every day. 

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Following this discovery, Balard's work would be heavily utilized by armies in World Wars I and II to treat chemical burns and to cleanse wounds. Before the use of common antibiotic medications, Balard's discovery of HOCl allowed for the successful irrigation and disinfection of wounds during World War I.

Later, HOCl solutions developed for environmental sanitation and therapeutic use in gangrene, diphtheria, and scarlet fever. With a firm knowledge of how HOCl contributed to disinfection and sanitation, aerosolized solutions of acidified hypochlorite were being used in London hospitals by the 1940s as an infection control measure against airborne dispersion of pathogens.

Several decades later, it was discovered that activated human neutrophils and other tissue-resident phagocytes naturally produce HOCl. Despite this discovery, scientists found that physiologically-produced HOCl has a limited lifespan despite its strength and rapid response to pathogens.

Today, a body of scientific research supports the use of hypochlorous in a diverse range of applications. Multiple studies have been published detailing the performance of HOCl in dermatologic and surgical practice² ⁷.

These reports provide compelling evidence that HOCl is a viable option for wound care⁹. Studies also support the usage of topical hypochlorous for a number of skin related inflammatory conditions, including atopic dermatitis¹ and acne vulgaris⁶.

Advancements in modern hypochlorous manufacturing technology now allow us to harness the powers of HOCl for prevention of infection and treatment of inflammatory skin conditions.

Why am I just hearing about this miraculous Molecule now?

Original technology made the manufacturing of pure, stable hypochlorous acid very difficult – if not impossible. Previously, the manufacturing process of HOCl was highly expensive and many products didn’t have the desired stability or shelf-life for prolonged use. Today, advancements in technology have allowed us to harvest the natural ability of HOCl, providing us with the freedom to use it as needed. 

Sterasure is the sole Canadian manufacturer of high-quality, 100% pure and ultra-stable hypochlorous acid. Our sophisticated proprietary process allows for an ultra-pure solution, meaning our product harnesses all of the bacteria and virus fighting abilities of body’s naturally produced HOCL, but without any fillers, buffers or unnecessary additives found in other products on the market. Plus, our manufacturing technology allows for large-scale production of stable and pure formulations.

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The 100% pure HOCl formulas that Sterasure produces allow customers to integrate hypochlorous acid into their personal protection, hygiene and self-care routines, providing all of the antimicrobial and healing powers of natural hypochlorous — in a bottle!

REFERENCES:

1. Fukuyama, T., Martel, B. C., Linder, K. E., Ehling, S., Ganchingco, J. R., & Bäumer, W. (2018). Hypochlorous acid is antipruritic and anti‐inflammatory in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 48(1), 78-88.

2. Gold, M. H., Andriessen, A., Bhatia, A. C., Bitter Jr, P., Chilukuri, S., Cohen, J. L., & Robb, C. W. (2020). Topical stabilized hypochlorous acid: The future gold standard for wound care and scar management in dermatologic and plastic surgery procedures. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 19(2), 270-277.

3. Huffaker, H. (2019, November 2). The Story of HOCl. Clean Republic. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://clean-republic.com/blogs/news/the-story-of-hocl

4. Migliarina, F., & Ferro, S. (2014). A Modern Approach to Disinfection, as Old as the Evolution of Vertebrates. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2(4), 516–526. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare2040516

5. Morita, C., Nishida, T., & Ito, K. (2011). Biological toxicity of acid electrolyzed functional water: Effect of oral administration on mouse digestive tract and changes in body weight. Archives of Oral Biology, 56(4), 359-366. 

6. Nestor, M. S., Berman, B., Patel, J., Lawson, A., Jones, J. L., & Matin, T. A PILOT STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF TWO NEW PROPRIETARY, PURE HYPOCHLOROUS ACID-BASED (HOCL) TREATMENTS FOR MILD-TO-MODERATE ACNE VULGARIS.

7. Pelegrift, R. Y., & Friedman, A. J. (2013). Topical hypochlorous acid (HOCl) as a potential treatment of pruitus. Current Dermatology Reports, 2(3), 181-190.

8. Recalde, OD, FAAO, M. (2020, November 15). Hypochlorous acid: harnessing nature’s germ killer. Optometry Times. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/hypochlorous-acid-harnessing-natures-germ-killer

9. Sakarya, S., Gunay, N., Karakulak, M., Ozturk, B., & Ertugrul, B. (2014). Hypochlorous acid: an ideal wound care agent with powerful microbicidal, antibiofilm, and wound healing potency. Wounds, 26(12), 342-350.

10. Sam, C. H., & Lu, H. K. (2009). The role of hypochlorous acid as one of the reactive oxygen species in periodontal disease. Journal of Dental Sciences, 4(2), 45-54.

11. Williams, J. (2019, October 30). Hypochlorous Acid: Harnessing an Innate Response. InfectionControl.Tips. Retrieved July 4, 2022, from https://infectioncontrol.tips/2017/10/06/hypochlorous-innate-response/

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