the possibilities of using the effects of ozone therapy in neurology

Background

Neurodegenerative and neurological conditions - including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke and chronic neuropathic pain - affect tens of millions of people worldwide, and many of these conditions share a common thread: oxidative stress, where an excess of reactive molecules damages nerve cells faster than the body can repair them. A team of Slovak researchers, led by Ján Mašan alongside Miron Sramka and Daria Rabarova, set out to review what is known about ozone therapy - the medical use of oxygen-ozone gas mixtures - as a potential tool for supporting the nervous system, and to map out where the evidence stands across a range of neurological conditions.

Study design

This is a narrative literature review rather than a new clinical trial. The authors drew on previously published clinical studies and their own clinical experience to summarise how ozone therapy has been applied and studied across neurodegenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and neuropathic pain, alongside its documented effects in cardiovascular, orthopaedic, gastrointestinal and other conditions. Rather than testing a specific dose or protocol themselves, the authors focused on explaining the biological mechanisms proposed to underpin these effects, particularly oxidative stress regulation and immune modulation, and on collating the clinical evidence reported by others.

Findings

The review reports that ozone therapy has been associated with improved blood circulation and modulation of immune activity in the conditions studied. A central mechanism the authors highlight is activation of the Nrf2 pathway, a cellular signalling route that switches on the body's own antioxidant defences, which they propose may help counter the oxidative stress implicated in neurodegeneration. Drawing on the clinical literature, the authors report evidence of benefit for neurodegenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis and stroke when ozone is administered at an appropriate dose. They also note that, at correct dosing, the studies they reviewed did not report significant side effects.

What the authors concluded

The authors conclude that ozone therapy is a comparatively quick and well-tolerated intervention with a plausible biological basis for supporting neurological health, chiefly through its influence on oxidative stress and immune regulation. They frame it as a promising complementary avenue across a broad range of neurological conditions, while stopping short of presenting it as a standalone treatment for any specific diagnosis.

Limitations of this study

As a narrative review, this paper synthesises and interprets existing studies rather than generating new controlled trial data of its own, so its conclusions are only as strong as the underlying studies it draws on, which vary in size, design and quality. The authors themselves state that further clinical and experimental research is needed to establish optimal administration schedules and to properly evaluate ozone therapy in combination with other treatments. The review does not provide a systematic, pre-registered assessment of the literature, and readers should treat its findings as an overview of an emerging area rather than definitive clinical guidance.