The Low-Dose Ozone Concept and Its Basic Biochemical Mechanisms of Action in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

Background: why the dose is everything in ozone therapy

Ozone can be harmful at high concentrations, yet controlled low doses are used therapeutically - and understanding why is central to using it safely. This review sets out the "low-dose ozone concept": the idea that small, precisely controlled amounts of ozone produce a mild, beneficial biological response, whereas larger doses tip over into damage. The authors focus on how this applies to chronic inflammatory diseases, where long-term oxidative stress and inflammation drive the problem.

Study design: a biochemical and pharmacological review

This is a review article rather than a new clinical study. The authors draw together the biochemistry and pharmacology of low-dose ozone from a large body of cell experiments, preclinical work and clinical trials published in peer-reviewed journals, and relate it to how ozone is actually applied in practice.

Findings: hormesis, dose-response, and evidence-based routes of delivery

The core mechanism the authors describe is hormesis: a small, controlled dose of ozone creates moderate, transient oxidative stress that prompts the body to strengthen its own antioxidant and protective defences. They explain that clear dose-response and concentration-effect relationships make it possible to define concentration ranges that are therapeutic for specific conditions, and that international guidelines set out safe materials, indications and effective dose ranges. Among the systemic ways of giving ozone, major autohaemotherapy and rectal insufflation are highlighted as the evidence-based options.

What the authors concluded

The authors conclude that the low-dose ozone concept, working through moderate oxidative stress, is a well-founded hormesis strategy with a documented pharmacological basis. They encourage clinicians to design clinical trials that integrate medical ozone as a complement in chronic inflammatory diseases - to gain synergistic effects alongside standard treatment, potentially reduce the side effects of some drugs, and help protect organs such as the liver and kidneys.

Limitations of this study

Being a review, this paper summarises and interprets existing evidence rather than generating new clinical data, and much of the detailed mechanism comes from laboratory and preclinical work. While ozone is established in practice for certain uses, the authors are effectively calling for more and better clinical trials in chronic inflammatory diseases - which signals that large, high-quality randomised evidence in this area is still developing. The concentration and dose ranges described should only be applied by suitably trained practitioners following recognised guidelines.