Therapeutic Efficacy of Molecular Hydrogen: A New Mechanistic Insight.
Toru Ishibashi · Current pharmaceutical design · 2019
Research-use notice
Independent study record
Each H2HUBB study page organizes source-linked research details for educational use. Interpretation should remain proportional to the study design, population, controls, and limitations.
H2HUBB TAKEAWAY
This narrative review examined however, many reports on therapeutic applications of H₂ have the limitation to regard H₂ only as a scavenger for the hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite. H₂ is proposed to convert the quinone intermediates to the fully reduced ubiquinol, thereby increasing the antioxidant capacity of the quinone pool as well as preventing the generation of ROS. In the field of PD and RA, improvements of certain aspects of these diseases by H₂ therapy cannot be fully explained by the scavenging properties of H₂ against ROS, indicating a limitation of the scavenger theory [ 3 ]. The reviewed evidence adds support for molecular hydrogen's therapeutic potential across the conditions, mechanisms, or outcomes examined.
What the Findings Mean
H2HUBB reviewed this publication as a synthesis of molecular-hydrogen research and summarizes the outcomes emphasized by the authors. H₂ is proposed to convert the quinone intermediates to the fully reduced ubiquinol, thereby increasing the antioxidant capacity of the quinone pool as well as preventing the generation of ROS.
What the Researchers Studied
The authors reviewed however, many reports on therapeutic applications of H₂ have the limitation to regard H₂ only as a scavenger for the hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite.
What Effects Did Molecular Hydrogen Have?
As a potential therapeutic effect, the results suggested that the neurodegenerative symptoms of PD could be improved by this daily dose of H₂ even in patients with modified Hoen and Yahr stage 1-4 (approximate average, 2.0) [ 8 ]. It is assumed that ROS promote the PD pathogenesis by causing the cell death of dopamine-producing cells, but the observed improvement of PD by H₂ therapy was not inferior to the nonergot dopamine therapy; however, the significance of this finding is limited due to the small number of participants (placebo and H₂ therapy group size: n = 9 each). H₂ is proposed to convert the quinone intermediates to the fully reduced ubiquinol, thereby increasing the antioxidant capacity of the quinone pool as well as preventing the generation of ROS. Molecular hydrogen (H₂) is now recognized as a therapeutic gas for the treatment of numerous diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, and inflammatory diseases. Apart from this proposed principle, a new possible mechanism of H₂ activation and consumption in mammalian cells is considered in this review, which is specifically focused on the mitochondrial complex I that has a close evolutionary relationship with energy-converting, membrane-bound [NiFe]-hydrogenases (MBH).
Why These Findings Matter
The reviewed evidence adds support for molecular hydrogen's therapeutic potential across the conditions, mechanisms, or outcomes examined.
How Strong Is This Evidence?
This is review or synthesis evidence (narrative review).
Technical Study Details
H2HUBB classifies this publication as narrative review with review or synthesis evidence. The study used a narrative review.
Limitations and Safety
Reported limitations: However, many reports on therapeutic applications of H₂ have the limitation to regard H₂ only as a scavenger for the hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite. In the field of PD and RA, improvements of certain aspects of these diseases by H₂ therapy cannot be fully explained by the scavenging properties of H₂ against ROS, indicating a limitation of the scavenger theory [ 3 ].
Original Study and H2HUBB Research Context
H2HUBB presents this source-grounded research record as one contribution to the broader molecular-hydrogen evidence base.