Hydrogen Therapy Reduces Brain Inflammation After Head Injury in Rats
- Authors
- Xu-Dong Ma, Jin-Ning Song, Yong-Lin Zhao, Bin-Fei Zhang, Dan-Dong Li, Zun-Wei Liu, Jun-Jie Zhao, Ya-Hui Zhao
- Journal
- Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University - Medical Sciences
- Year
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.7652/jdyxb201501004
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Diffuse Axonal Injury
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Hydrogen treatment may reduce brain damage in rats with traumatic brain injuries by calming inflammation.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas injection reduced inflammatory markers (IL-6 and IL-1) and astrocyte activation in rats with diffuse axonal injury, reversing brain damage patterns seen in untreated injured animals.
Summary
Researchers used rats with a type of brain injury called diffuse axonal injury (damage to nerve fibers from sudden head movement) to test whether hydrogen gas could help reduce inflammation in the brain. They injected hydrogen gas into injured rats twice daily and measured inflammatory markers (proteins that signal inflammation) and brain cell changes over three days. Hydrogen treatment reduced inflammatory markers and decreased activation of brain support cells called astrocytes, suggesting it may help protect the brain during the early stages of this type of injury.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen may have anti-inflammatory effects in traumatic brain injury. However, these results are from rats only, and the study does not tell us whether hydrogen would work the same way in humans or whether intraperitoneal injection (directly into the abdomen) would be a practical delivery method for people. Much more research would be needed before any health claims could be made.
Abstract
To explore the role of immuno-inflammatory reaction in diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and the therapeutic action of hydrogen in DAI model. Methods Totally 96 adult male SD rats were divided into 8 groups (n=12 in each): normal group, sham group, DAI groups (6h, 1d and 3d) and DAI with hydrogen treatment groups(6h, 1d and 3d). Rat DAI model was induced by an experimental facility developed to make the rat head spin 90 degrees at the moment to cause shearing injury. Hydrogen gas of high purity was injected intraperitoneally to DAI rat models twice per day (10mL/kg). The histo-morphology, GFAP immunofluorescent staining, Western blotting (IL-6, IL-1, JNK and p-JNK) in parietal cortex were investigated at 6h, 1d and 3d after DAI. Results DAI-related changes such as axon swelling and axonal ball were found in the conjunction area between DAI-affected parietal cortex and corpus callosum compared with those in sham group. The number of GFAP-positive cells as well as IL-6, IL-1, JNK and p-JNK expressions were significantly increased after DAI (P<0.05, P<0.01). Hydrogen treatment could reverse the changes mentioned above. Conclusion Immuno-inflammatory reaction is involved in DAI pathophysiological process in acute phase. The release of large numbers of inflammatory factors and activation of astrocytes may lead to the deterioration of brain damage. Hydrogen can improve acute brain injury of DAI by reducing immuno-inflammatory reaction.