# Ozone therapy in femoral head necrosis: a perspective on biomarker-guided treatment rationalization and mechanistic exploration

**Authors:** Liang Zhang, Qing-hua Wang, Xu-ting Zhao, Yu-mei Ding, Xiao-dong Wang, Zhi-feng Zhang, Mu-han Na, Yi-fan Zhao, Yi Qiu, Liang-liang He

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1780893 · 2026-03-17

## TL;DR

This paper explores how ozone therapy might help treat femoral head necrosis by using biomarkers to better understand and personalize treatment.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a biomarker-guided framework to rationalize and standardize ozone therapy for femoral head necrosis.

## Key findings

- Ozone therapy shows potential in modulating oxidative stress and inflammation in FHN.
- Current ozone therapy lacks standardized protocols and consistent clinical evidence.
- Biomarkers could help translate ozone effects into personalized treatment strategies.

## Abstract

Femoral head necrosis (FHN) is a progressive and disabling disorder caused by compromised blood supply to the femoral head. Current treatments primarily aim to slow progression. However, they often fail to reverse early-stage necrosis or reliably prevent disease advancement. Importantly, most approaches lack precise molecular targets for early intervention. Ozone therapy has emerged as a potential option because of its pleiotropic biological effects, such as modulating oxidative stress, improving microcirculation, and exerting anti-inflammatory activity. However, its mechanisms remain poorly understood. Clinical evidence is limited and inconsistent, and the absence of standardized protocols hinders evidence-based implementation. To address these gaps, this perspective proposes biomarkers as a translational bridge linking ozone-induced biological responses to FHN pathology. We further outline a dynamic, biomarker-guided framework through which ozone therapy can evolve from an empirical intervention into a mechanism-informed, personalized, and more standardized precision strategy. This approach offers a scientifically grounded pathway for advancing the clinical management of FHN.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** ozone (PubChem CID 24823)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** FHN (MESH:D005271), necrosis (MESH:D009336), inflammatory (MESH:D007249)
- **Chemicals:** Ozone (MESH:D010126)

## Figures

1 figure with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13036745/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13036745