Silicon Agent Generates Hydrogen to Protect Kidneys and Brain
- Authors
- Yuki Kobayashi, Ryoichi Imamura, Yoshihisa Koyama, Makoto Kondo, Hikaru Kobayashi, Norio Nonomura, Shoichi Shimada
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41598-020-62755-9
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Body System
- Renal
TL;DR
A new silicon-based substance can produce hydrogen for over 24 hours and has been shown to protect against kidney failure and brain cell damage in rats and mice by reducing oxidative stress.
Key Finding
A silicon-based hydrogen-generating agent reduced kidney damage and protected brain cells from degeneration in animal models by suppressing oxidative stress.
Summary
Researchers created a silicon-based substance that generates hydrogen gas in the digestive system for over 24 hours. When given to rats with kidney disease and mice with Parkinson's-like symptoms, the substance reduced signs of cellular damage caused by oxidative stress (a harmful process involving unstable molecules), slowed kidney failure, and protected brain cells involved in movement control.
Practical Takeaway
This early-stage animal research suggests that hydrogen generated in the digestive system may help protect against diseases linked to oxidative stress, but these findings are from rats and mice only. Human studies would be needed to determine if this approach is safe and effective for people with kidney disease or Parkinson's disease.
Abstract
We have developed Si-based agent which can generate a large amount of hydrogen. Si-based agent continues generating hydrogen for more than 24 h by the reaction with water under conditions similar to those in bowels, i.e., pH8.3 and 36 °C, and generates ~400 mL hydrogen. To investigate beneficial effects for diseases associated with oxidative stress, Si-based agent is administered to remnant kidney rats and Parkinson’s disease mice. Rats are fed with control or Si-based agent-containing diet for 8 weeks. Si-based agent is found to greatly suppress the development of renal failure and the parameters of oxidative stress. Treatment with Si-based agent in a mouse model of hemi-Parkinson’s disease induced by 6-hydroxydopamine attenuated degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and prevented impairment of motor balance and coordination. These findings indicate that the Si-based agent shows renoprotective and neuroprotective effects presumably via suppression of oxidative stress by generation of hydrogen.