Hydrogen Saline Protects Eyes from Diabetic Damage in Rat Study
- Authors
- Xiang Xiao, Jiping Cai, Jiajun Xu, Ruobing Wang, Jianmei Cai, Yun Liu, Weigang Xu, Xuejun Sun, Runping Li
- Journal
- Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics
- Year
- 2012
- DOI
- 10.1089/jop.2010.0129
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Body System
- Visual System
TL;DR
A special saline solution with added hydrogen gas may help prevent eye damage in diabetic rats.
Key Finding
Hydrogen saline treatment reduced cell death, blood vessel leakage, and tissue thickening in the retinas of diabetic rats, suggesting a protective effect against diabetic retinopathy.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-enriched saline could protect rat eyes from damage caused by diabetes. Diabetic rats that received hydrogen saline injections for 4 weeks showed less cell death in their retinas (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye), less leakage from blood vessels, and less thickening of retinal tissue compared to diabetic rats that didn't receive the treatment. These results suggest hydrogen saline might help prevent diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages vision in people with diabetes.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen saline may help protect against diabetic eye damage. However, the findings are from rats only and have not been tested in humans, so it's too soon to draw conclusions about whether hydrogen water or saline would help people with diabetes. Human clinical trials would be needed to determine if these protective effects translate to patients.
Abstract
Abstract Purpose: Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the working population of the developed countries and also a significant cause of blindness in the elderly. This study aimed at examining the protective effect of H 2 saline on diabetic retinopathy in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. Methods: Sprague–Dawley male rats were divided into 3 groups as follows: (1) nondiabetic control group (non-DM control); (2) diabetic control group (DM control); and (3) diabetic rats receiving H 2 saline therapy (DM H 2 saline). Rats in DM H 2 saline group were intraperitoneally injected with H 2 saturated saline (5 mL/kg) every day for 4 weeks. Retinal vascular permeability was assessed by measuring Evans blue leakage into the retina. Retinal apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and measuring caspase-3 activity. Retinal thickness was observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: Our results showed that H 2 saline treatment could depress the caspase activity, reduce the retinal apoptosis, and vascular permeability. The H 2 saline could also prominently attenuate the retinal parenchyma thickening that resulted from diabetic retinopathy. Conclusions: Our preliminary studies indicated that H 2 saline may have potentials in the clinical treatment of diabetic retinopathy.