Hydrogen-rich saline treatment modulates proteomic profiles to mitigate cataract development in a N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced rat model.
Yingxin Qu, Xiaoqi Li, Qinghua Yang, Runpu Li, Ye Tao, Yifei Huang, Liqiang Wang · International ophthalmology · 2026
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Independent study record
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H2HUBB TAKEAWAY
In Sprague-Dawley rats, hRS reduced MNU-induced cataract incidence to 50% versus 100% in MNU-only and NS groups and preserved lens clarity comparable to normal controls. These preclinical findings add evidence supporting molecular hydrogen's therapeutic potential within the outcomes and biological pathways measured in this model.
What the Findings Mean
H2HUBB reviewed how molecular hydrogen affected the outcomes measured in Sprague-Dawley rats. HRS reduced MNU-induced cataract incidence to 50% versus 100% in MNU-only and NS groups and preserved lens clarity comparable to normal controls.
What the Researchers Studied
The researchers studied Sprague-Dawley rats. The study used a preclinical animal experiment. The comparison condition was control condition or baseline measurements.
What Effects Did Molecular Hydrogen Have?
HRS was purchased from Beijing Vital Hydrogen Source Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (China). The HRS was prepared by saturating sterile saline with high-purity hydrogen gas under 0.4 MPa pressure, resulting in a dissolved hydrogen concentration consistently maintained above 1.2 ppm, as verified using a hydrogen concentration detector For treatment groups, interventions began on postnatal day 8, consisting of daily intraperitoneal injections of HRS at a dose of 10 mL/kg body weight until day 14, followed by topical eye drops (Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Japan) from day 15 to day 21. Supplementary file6 (JPG 777 KB) Figure S6: Normalized PRM peak area of peptides corresponding to calreticulin (P18418) and glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (P10860): Peptides FYGDQEK and GQTLVVQFTVK (P18418), and YSTDVSVDEVK (P10860) were analyzed to validate differential protein expression between HRS- and NS-treated groups. HRS reduced MNU-induced cataract incidence to 50% versus 100% in MNU-only and NS groups and preserved lens clarity comparable to normal controls. The authors concluded that hRS mitigates MNU-induced cataracts possibly by reducing oxidative stress and downregulating stress-response and metabolic proteins.
Why These Findings Matter
These preclinical findings add evidence supporting molecular hydrogen's therapeutic potential within the outcomes and biological pathways measured in this model.
How Strong Is This Evidence?
This is preclinical animal evidence from a preclinical animal experiment. It is most informative for the disease model, mechanisms, biomarkers, and outcomes directly measured in the study.
Technical Study Details
H2HUBB classifies this publication as animal study with preclinical animal evidence. The research population or model was Sprague-Dawley rats. The study used a preclinical animal experiment.
Limitations and Safety
No separate limitations or safety findings were identified in the current-study source text available to H2HUBB.
Original Study and H2HUBB Research Context
H2HUBB presents this source-grounded research record as one contribution to the broader molecular-hydrogen evidence base.