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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 12, No. 1
Publication Date: February 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/aivp.121.16216
Tulp, O. L., Rizvi, S. A. A., & Einstein, G. P. (2024). Effects of Biophotonic Treatment on Hematologic and Metabolic Parameters:
Biophotonics, Hemoglobin A1c and SpO2. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(1). 185-194.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Effects of Biophotonic Treatment on Hematologic and Metabolic
Parameters: Biophotonics, Hemoglobin A1c and SpO2
Orien L. Tulp
Colleges of Medicine and Graduate Studies, University of Science, Arts and
Technology, Montserrat, British West Indies, Einstein Medical Institute, NPB, FL
Syed A. A. Rizvi
Colleges of Medicine and Graduate Studies, University of Science, Arts and
Technology, Montserrat, British West Indies, MSR1110; Larkin Hospital,
Miami FL, Einstein Medical Institute, NPB, FL
George P. Einstein
Colleges of Medicine and Graduate Studies, University of Science, Arts and
Technology, Montserrat, British West Indies, Einstein Medical Institute, NPB, FL
ABSTRACT
The wide-ranging effects of healthful vs. damaging consequences of UV irradiation
on key physiologic parameters are reviewed in this paper. The effects are
dependent on the wavelengths encountered, the absolute intensity and duration of
the exposure, the tissues exposed, and whether the UV effects were delivered via in
vivo or as an extracorporeal exposure in vitro typically performed with freshly
obtained heparinized aliquots of whole blood. While damaging effects of high UV
intensity may include irreversible irradiation damage to key cellular and molecular
components, controlled low dosages of UV irradiation delivered via a conventional
biophotonic apparatus at specific, controlled wavelengths can deliver beneficial
effects on blood oxygenation, tissue repair, immune responses, glycemic responses,
and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations. HbA1c is an important
diagnostic marker for the effectiveness of diabetes management. Studies reviewed
demonstrate increases in blood oxygenation and corresponding decreases in
HbA1c concentrations following nominal biophotonic treatment and indicate that
the application of this therapy extends beyond its more commonly applied
applications in the treatment and control of infectious illnesses and anti-aging
biophotonic therapeutics.
Keywords: Diabetes, Hemoglobin A1c, Oxygen saturation, Biophotonics
INTRODUCTION
The physiologic absorption of Quanta of photons derived from light is deemed a prerequisite
for multiple aspects of mammalian health, and as such, humans have always instinctively
sought daylight for many sorts of illnesses including infectious illnesses, wound healing and
other maladies.1-3 Of note, UV light irradiation following sunlight exposure has empirically been
considered nature’s natural cure-all for many kinds of infectious illnesses for many generations
of humankind.4-5 Among the oldest references to the benefits of sun therapy were reported on
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European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 12, Issue 1, February-2024
or before 1500 B.C.3 Although the molecular mechanisms of these photon-mediated, light- derived effects have generally often remained unknown, unconfirmed, or speculative at best,
emerging findings now point to a nuclear disruptive element that impedes further local
replication of the infectious agent combined with enhancement of immune responses in the UV
or sunlight-exposed host.5,6 According to the laws of photobiology, light absorption requires the
presence of a specific photo-acceptor molecule or complex that after photonic excitation could
induce the downstream activation of biochemical or physiologic signaling pathways to bring
about its desired healthful or other responses.6,7 The blood protein hemoglobin (Hb) is
recognized to be an efficient light absorbing photochemical capable of absorbing photons due
to its unique electronic configurations which enable to undergo reversible taut vs relaxed
states, and accommodate the efficient transport and release of life-giving oxygen to peripheral
tissues in addition to its contributions to gas transport, buffering capacity, uptake of 2,3 deoxy
diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG) and other critical biologic functions.8,9,10
Aromatic amino acid residues, including tryptophan and tyrosine, are common constituents of
most proteins including the peptide sidechain of hemoglobin. Both amino acids have absorption
bands in the 260-290 nm range that can be reached via photonic excitation.
8,10 Excitation
produces a broad fluorescence centered at 340 nm, a band that extends from 310 to 370nm.
Fluorescence from RBCs however is centered nearer 480nm. While it is possible that
tryptophan and tyrosine could be excited by the laser beam activity for the referenced aromatic
amino acids, the excitation range is outside the typical range for hemoglobin. In addition, the
fluorescence lifetime reported for tryptophan in proteins shows a small amplitude ~0.2 for the
0.5ns component and the two equally weighted major components with ~2ns and ~5ns
lifetime, respectively. Thus, the difference in emission wavelength and fluorescence lifetime
allows us to rule out tryptophan and tyrosine as the primary sources of the biophotonic RBC
signal as the peak for hemoglobin is distant from the 260-290 nm range, and of greater
magnitude and encompasses the 480 nm wavelength.10,11
Excessive Radiation Exposure Can Cause DNA Damage and Block Cellular Replication
Both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation can cause mutations in DNA of cells, albeit through
different molecular mechanisms. Strong ionizing radiation such as high-energy UV-C, X-rays,
and gamma rays can cause single- and double-strand breaks in the nucleotide and nucleoside
backbones through the formation of hydroxyl radicals and other biochemic events upon
irradiation.12,13 In contrast, exposure to non-ionizing radiation can induce the formation of
dimers between two adjacent pyrimidine bases of RNA, and in both cases of ionizing or
nonionizing exposure the usual consequence is the prevention of further in vivo replication of
the infectious agent.5,14,15 The consensus if that that the denaturation of the viral genetic
material occurs, rather than denaturing or damage to the protein and lipid envelopes, is likely
to be the primary and more efficacious target for irradiation-induced viral inactivation.14-16 ,
Controlled UV Irradiation Can Deliver Beneficial Effects.
The more healthful biostimulation process produced via low level photonic emission generally
promotes cell survival and proliferation in both in vitro and in vivo applications.3,14 Emerging
evidence supports a low-level laser stimulation action mediates increases in the generation of
“good” or favorable metabolic reactive oxygen species (ROS).9 Favorable ROS are able to
activate redox sensitive signal transduction pathways such as Nrf-2, NF-kB, ERK and which
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Tulp, O. L., Rizvi, S. A. A., & Einstein, G. P. (2024). Effects of Biophotonic Treatment on Hematologic and Metabolic Parameters: Biophotonics,
Hemoglobin A1c and SpO2. European Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol - 12(1). 185-194.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.121.16216
collectively can act as key redox checkpoints in cell survival processes and replication
mechanisms.9,17,18 In addition, these signal transduction factors also contribute to the
proliferation and tissue survival of affected tissues. The bio-stimulation process also improves
peripheral oxygen delivery to tissues via a laser-induced photodissosiation of oxygen from
oxyhemoglobin in cutaneous blood vessels, increasing blood pO2 saturation concentrations,
and further contributing to the beneficial and supportive roles of oxygen in the biomedical
processes of tissue healing and cellular regeneration.6,7,10,15,20.
Figure 1: UV-A, UV-B, And UV-C Radiation May Exert Differential Dose-Related Effects on
Tissues and Cell Processes That May Become Damaging (Left Side) Or Beneficial (Right Side)
Legend to Figure 1. Summary of the effects of in vivo and extracorporeal UV radiation exposure
on tissues and cells. UV = ultraviolet light; UV-A = wavelength 320-400 nm; UV-B= 280-320 nm;
UV-C = wavelength 200-280 nm; mJ = millijoules; cm = centimeter; in vivo = in the live organism
or subject; CPDs = cyclobutene dimes; ROS = Reactive Oxygen Species; iROS = inflammatory
reactive oxygen species; DNA = deoxynucleic acid; RNA = ribonucleic acid; G1, S, G2 and M =
phases of the cell cycle; PBMs = photobiomodulation products; IgG = immunoglobulin G; IgM =
immunoglobulin M; ABYs = antibodies; TGF-β = tissue growth factor- beta; pO2 = percent
oxygen saturation in whole blood; USA = human serum albumin; UA = uric acid; Trp =
tryptophan. Modified from [16, 26].