General information about HOCl

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) was first prepared in vitro in 1834 by the French chemist Antoine Jérôme Balard. HOCl appears at low concentrations in the immune system within the human body and has antimicrobial action. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is generated in vivo by the enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO), which is released by phagocytes, such as neutrophils, after their activation, to combat infections.

It acts against a wide spectrum of microorganisms, as it can easily penetrate biological membranes. Today, hypochlorous acid solutions are used worldwide in surgical procedures, for wound cleansing, as ophthalmic solutions, intranasally, for burns, venous & arterial ulcers, pressure ulcers, as adjunctive therapies for skin infections, and many other applications.

The action of HOCl is not cytotoxic to human or animal cells. This relates to its presence in the immune system of mammals. In the cosmetics industry it is used as a skin cleanser, which benefits rather than causing dryness.

Because HOCl has virucidal, microbicidal, bactericidal, and fungicidal activity against skin pathogens, it helps reduce itching in cases of psoriasis, acne, and atopic dermatitis. It is many times stronger against pathogenic microorganisms than sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).