Hydrogen Water Boosts Cancer-Fighting Effects of Vitamin C and Platinum
- Authors
- Shinya Kato, Yasukazu Saitoh, Nobuhiko Miwa
- Journal
- Human Cell
- Year
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1007/s13577-020-00462-3
- Study Type
- Cell Culture
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Esophageal Cancer
- Body System
- Digestive System
TL;DR
A combination of a modified vitamin C compound and tiny platinum particles in hydrogen-rich water was found to be more effective at stopping the growth of esophageal cancer cells than either treatment alone.
Key Finding
A combination of modified vitamin C and platinum nanoparticles reduced esophageal cancer cell viability more effectively than either component alone, with enhanced effects when paired with hydrogen-rich water.
Summary
Researchers tested whether a modified form of vitamin C (called 6-O-palmitoyl ascorbate) combined with tiny platinum particles could slow the growth of esophageal cancer cells in laboratory dishes. They found that this combination was more effective at stopping cancer cell growth than either ingredient alone, and that hydrogen-rich water (water containing dissolved hydrogen gas) helped preserve the vitamin C and made it work better.
Practical Takeaway
This is early laboratory research in cancer cells, not human studies, so it cannot yet be applied to actual cancer treatment. While the results are interesting, hydrogen-rich water's role appears to be stabilizing the vitamin C compound rather than providing direct anti-cancer effects. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before any therapeutic claims could be made.
Abstract
Carcinostatic effects of combined use of ascorbic acid (Asc), 2-O-phospho- or 6-O-palmitoyl ascorbate (Asc2Phos, Asc6Palm) or diverse alkanoyl Asc, and nano-sized platinum-poly(N-vinyl-pyrrolidone) colloid (PVP-Pt; 2-nm diameter) were examined on human esophagus carcinoma-derived cells KYSE70. Cell viability was repressed by 'Asc6Palm + PVP-Pt' mixture more markedly than by Asc6Palm or PVP-Pt alone, together with cell shrinkage and fragmentation, in contrast to no additive carcinostatic effect of 'Asc + PVP-Pt' or 'Asc2Phos + PVP-Pt'. The effects might be partly due to efficiency for intracellular uptake of PVP-Pt, as previously shown by our studies that Pt atoms composed of PVP-Pt were incorporated into human tongue carcinoma cells by 9.6-fold compared to normal human tongue epitheliocytes. Asc6Palm was advantageous for intracellular uptake, in terms of the proper balance for molecular hydrophilicity-lipophilicity (BMHL), whereas 6-O-stearoyl (C18) Asc or 2,6-O-dipalmitoyl (2 × C16) was demonstrated to be less carcinostatic owing to a lower BMHL. Although esterolytically converted from Asc6Palm, Asc was necessitated to be retained for efficient carcinostasis, and demonstrated by HPLC-coulometric ECD analysis to be appreciably stabilized in electrolytically generated hydrogen (dissolved hydrogen: 0.575 mg/L)-water, but scarcely in hydrogen-gas-bubbled water (0.427 mg/L), Mg stick-derived hydrogen (0.044 mg/L) water, or tap water, suggesting that hydrogen-rich water suppresses oxidative decomposition of Asc. Thus, Asc6Palm plus PVP-Pt with hydrogen-rich water supplement might be applicable for carcinostatic therapy.