Hydrogen Therapy Boosts Cancer Treatment While Reducing Side Effects
Acid‐Responsive H<sub>2</sub>‐Releasing 2D MgB<sub>2</sub> Nanosheet for Therapeutic Synergy and Side Effect Attenuation of Gastric Cancer Chemotherapy
Research hubs: Digestive System · Cardiovascular System
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Mingjian Fan, Yanyuan Wen, Dien Ye, Zhaokui Jin, Penghe Zhao, Danyang Chen, Xifeng Lu, Qianjun He
- Journal
- Advanced Healthcare Materials
- Year
- 2019
- DOI
- 10.1002/adhm.201900157
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Gastric Cancer
- Body System
- Digestive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
TL;DR
Scientists have created a new pill that releases hydrogen in the stomach to help reduce the harmful side effects of chemotherapy and improve its effectiveness against gastric cancer.
Key Finding
In mice, combining a hydrogen-releasing pill with doxorubicin chemotherapy significantly prolonged survival and reduced chemotherapy side effects compared to chemotherapy alone.
Summary
Researchers developed a new pill containing magnesium boride nanoparticles that release hydrogen gas in the stomach. In mice with gastric cancer, combining this hydrogen-releasing pill with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin improved survival and reduced the toxic side effects that normally occur with chemotherapy alone. The researchers believe hydrogen works by interfering with cancer cells' energy production while leaving normal cells unharmed.
Practical Takeaway
This is early-stage research in mice only, so it cannot yet predict effects in humans. The concept of using hydrogen to enhance chemotherapy while reducing side effects is promising, but much more research—including human trials—would be needed before any practical application. The specific nanoparticle delivery system tested here is not currently available as a consumer product.
Abstract (excerpt)
AbstractThe hydrogen molecule is recognized as a high potential to attenuate toxic side effects of chemotherapy and also enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy, and the development of a novel hydrogen‐generating prodrug for facile, safe, and efficient hydrogen delivery is vitally important for combined…