Hydrogen Gas Inhalation Reduces Seizures in Animal Study
- Authors
- Tzu-Kang Lin, Ming-Shang Pai, Kun-Chieh Yeh, Chi-Feng Hung, Su-Jane Wang
- Journal
- Neurochemistry International
- Year
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105925
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Taiwan
- Health Condition
- Epilepsy
- Body System
- Nervous System
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas can reduce the severity of seizures and protect brain cells by lowering inflammation and oxidative stress in rats.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas inhalation reduced seizure severity and prevented brain cell damage in rats by decreasing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the hippocampus.
Summary
Researchers gave rats hydrogen gas to breathe before triggering seizures with a chemical injection. Rats that received hydrogen gas had fewer and less severe seizures, less brain cell damage, and lower levels of harmful molecules (called oxidative stress) and inflammatory chemicals in a brain region called the hippocampus compared to rats that didn't receive hydrogen. The hydrogen appeared to work by activating a protective pathway in the brain.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen gas may have anti-seizure potential, but it was conducted only in rats and does not yet indicate whether this would work in humans. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before hydrogen inhalation could be considered a seizure treatment. Anyone with seizure disorders should continue working with their healthcare provider rather than pursuing experimental hydrogen therapies.
Abstract
Hydrogen gas (H2) is an antioxidant with demonstrated neuroprotective efficacy. In this study, we administered H2 via inhalation to rats to evaluate its effects on seizures induced by kainic acid (KA) injection and the underlying mechanism. The animals were intraperitoneally injected with KA (15 mg/kg) to induce seizures. H2 was inhaled 2 h once a day for 5 days before KA administration. The seizure activity was evaluated using Racine's convulsion scale and electroencephalography (EEG). Neuronal cell loss, glial cell activation, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, CCL2, and CCL3), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the hippocampus were assessed. The cerebral blood flow of the rats was also evaluated. The results revealed that KA-treated rats presented increased seizure intensity; increased neuronal loss and astrocyte activation; increased levels of ROS, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, CCL2, and CCL3; and reduced Nrf2 phosphorylation levels. Pretreatment with H2 inhalation significantly attenuated seizure intensity; prevented neuronal loss; decreased microglial and astrocytic activation; decreased ROS, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, CCL2 and CCL3 levels; and increased Nrf2 levels. Inhalation of H2 also prevented the KA-induced decrease in cerebral blood flow. These results suggest that pretreatment with H2 inhalation ameliorates KA-induced seizures and inhibits the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, which protects neurons.