Methemoglobin Activity Might Explain Rapid Increase in Oxygen Saturation Among COVID-19 Patients Healed with Chlorine Dioxide Gas in Solution

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a neutral oxidant molecule with a short lifespan once in contact with electron donors (organic matter). ClO2 solutions have antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-protozoan, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and wound-healing activity and it was used at safe concentrations on patients from different countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Mexico, 1067 COVID-19 patients received compassionate treatments with ClO2 during the 2020/2021 pandemic years. We describe the treatments and clinical reports of these patients, as it concerns the oxygen saturation (SpO2) recovery, and provide a biochemical explanation. The number of healed patients was 1057, >99% of the total and SpO2 showed a hyperbolic fast increase. This might happen because ClO2 attracts one electron from the organic matter and produces a chlorite anion (ClO2−). This new molecule is known to exhibit metabolic activity in the blood stream. On the one hand, it will perform the aforementioned antibiotic and healing properties. On the other hand, it will also allow the production of oxygen (O2) to be transported by the Oxyhemoglobin. This reaction is mediated by an intermediate state of a ferryl molecule (Fe=O) in the allosteric heme site of methemoglobin, which behaves as a reductase enzyme. This reaction can explain the rapid and steady increase in O2 saturation in healed patients.