[tarcyanm]

There are also those proponents of nebulizing (dilute) peroxide. While I wouldn't try this myself, peroxide modulates lymphocytes and would surely result in a decrease in viral load. Peroxide is not unknown to the body, given the various endogenous peroxidases that catalyze it. Dilution would seem to be critical, though. I have wondered whether it wasn't worth some controlled studies, if they haven't happened already (shrug)

[ceejayoz]

> peroxide modulates lymphocytes

This is kinda like saying "sodium is important in the body so it's fine to eat a chunk of it".

[tarcyanm]

The dose makes the poison.

[rsynnott]

I'm pretty sure that consuming any amount of elemental sodium should be discouraged.

[robocat]

Salt in liquid water is just elemental sodium ions and chlorine ions, each surrounded by h2o.

A speck of elemental sodium is not dangerous.

A hunk of elemental sodium could be (depending on how you handle it!)

[ceejayoz]

The mechanism has to make sense, too, though.

[tarcyanm]

Peroxide is directly virucidal through oxidation of the lipid envelope and RNA degradation. Whether lymphocytes would be activated in lung tissue in vivo is entirely speculative.

[ceejayoz]

Sure. Again, this is where the mechanism matters. There are plenty of things that kill viruses; you have to be able to deliver it in a useful way that doesn't kill the patient.

As XKCD points out, a handgun kills cancer cells in vitro. https://xkcd.com/1217/

[tarcyanm]

But peroxide is not just some random thing like bleach. It's generated internally from superoxide dismutase in the normal process of scavenging radicals and is also an immune signalling mechanism. As mentioned, it is reduced by a reaction catalyzed by peroxidase so the body "knows" how to shunt it around safely and reduce it when necessary. It's perfectly safe in appropriate dilution on scrapes, cuts etc. The key is not to overwhelm the antioxidant defenses. Lung tissue is much more delicate, but it's not ridiculous to suggest that a very low concentration might be worth testing.

[pja]

Exactly. Peroxide oxidises everything - including the parts of you that you need to live.