Hydrogen Peroxide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula (H
2O
2). It is the simplest peroxide (a compound with an oxygen-oxygen single bond) and in its pure form is a colorless liquid, slightly more viscous than water. Concentrated hydrogen peroxide, or 'high-test peroxide' is a reactive oxygen species and has been used as a propellant in rocketry.

Biological function

Hydrogen peroxide is also one of the two chief chemicals in the defense system of the bombardier beetle, reacting with hydroquinone to discourage predators.

A study published in Nature found that hydrogen peroxide plays a role in the immune system. Scientists found that hydrogen peroxide inside of cells increased after tissues are damaged in zebra fish, which is thought to act as a signal to white blood cells to converge on the site and initiate the healing process. When the genes required to produce hydrogen peroxide were disabled, white blood cells did not accumulate at the site of damage. The experiments were conducted on fish; however, because fish are genetically similar to humans, the same process is speculated to occur in humans. The study in Nature suggested asthma sufferers have higher levels of hydrogen peroxide in their lungs than healthy people, which could explain why asthma sufferers have inappropriate levels of white blood cells in their lungs.

Hydrogen peroxide has important roles as a signaling molecule in the regulation of a wide variety of biological processes.

The compound is a major factor implicated in the free-radical theory of aging, based on how readily hydrogen peroxide can decompose into a hydroxyl radical and how superoxide radical byproducts of cellular metabolism can react with ambient water to form hydrogen peroxide.

These hydroxyl radicals in turn readily react with and damage vital cellular components, especially those of the mitochondria.At least one study has also tried to link hydrogen peroxide production to cancer.These studies have frequently been quoted in fraudulent treatment claims.