Hydrogen Water Protects Brain After Stroke in Rat Study

Summary by Hydrogen Studies Editorial Team · Updated

Authors
Journal
Molecular Neurobiology
Year
DOI
10.1007/s12035-015-9242-y
Study Type
Rat
Outcome
Positive
Peer Reviewed
Yes
Country
China
Health Condition
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Body System
Neurological

TL;DR

A treatment with hydrogen-rich saline may reduce brain inflammation and damage after a type of stroke known as subarachnoid hemorrhage by interfering with specific inflammatory pathways.

Key Finding

Hydrogen-rich saline reduced inflammation and brain cell death in rats with subarachnoid hemorrhage by blocking two key inflammatory pathways (NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome).

Summary

Researchers gave rats with a type of brain bleeding called subarachnoid hemorrhage an injection of hydrogen-rich saline (salt water containing dissolved hydrogen gas). Within 24 hours of the bleeding, the hydrogen treatment reduced inflammation and cell death in the brain by blocking two specific inflammatory pathways (NF-κB and NLRP3). The treated rats showed less brain damage compared to rats that didn't receive the hydrogen treatment.

Practical Takeaway

This rat study provides early mechanistic evidence that hydrogen-rich saline may help protect the brain after certain types of bleeding by reducing inflammation. However, this is animal research only, and it's unclear whether these results would apply to humans or whether the same dose and delivery method would be effective in people. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before hydrogen-rich saline could be considered a treatment for brain injury.

Abstract (excerpt)

Early brain injury (EBI), highlighted with inflammation and apoptosis, occurring within 72 h after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), is associated with the prognosis of SAH. Recent studies have revealed that hydrogen-rich saline (HS) exerted multiple neuroprotective properties in many neurological…

Read the full abstract via DOI