Hydrogen Water Baths Reduce Psoriasis Symptoms in Mice Study
- Authors
- Xinyu Zhang, Pan Yu, Nan Hong, Fang Liu, Yuxin Shan, Yingying Wu, Binyi An, Hong Sang, Qingtao Kong
- Journal
- Experimental Dermatology
- Year
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1111/exd.14872
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Psoriasis
- Body System
- Integumentary
TL;DR
Bathing in hydrogen-rich water can reduce the severity of psoriasis in mice by decreasing inflammation and skin cell overgrowth.
Key Finding
Mice with psoriasis treated with hydrogen-rich water baths showed significantly reduced skin lesion severity and lower levels of inflammatory markers (IL-17, IL-23, TNF-α) and oxidative stress compared to control mice.
Summary
Researchers gave mice with psoriasis (a skin condition) baths in either hydrogen-rich water or regular water to see if hydrogen could help. Mice bathed in hydrogen-rich water had less severe skin damage, lower levels of inflammatory chemicals (substances that cause swelling and irritation), and less oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules) compared to mice given regular water baths.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study suggesting hydrogen-rich water may help reduce psoriasis symptoms, but it was only tested in mice, not humans. Before considering hydrogen baths as a psoriasis treatment, human clinical trials would be needed to confirm whether these results apply to people and to establish safe and effective protocols.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether hydrogen-rich bath has therapeutic effect on psoriasis and its molecular mechanism. Mice with imiquimod-induced psoriasis were established and divided into groups. The mice were respectively treated with hydrogen-rich water bath and distilled water bath. The changes of skin lesions and PSI scores of mice were compared after their treatments. HE staining was used to observe the pathological feature. The changes of inflammatory indexes and immune factors were analysed by ELISA and immunohistochemical staining. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was measured by the thiobarbituric assay (TBA) method. By naked eye, the severity of skin lesions in hydrogen-rich water bath group was lower than that in distilled water bath group, and the psoriasis severity index (PSI) was lower (p < 0.01). The results of HE staining showed that the mice with distilled water bath had more abnormal keratosis, thickening of the spinous layer and prolongation of the dermal process, and more Munro abscess than the mice with hydrogen-rich water bath. During the course of disease, the overall levels and peaks of IL-17, IL-23, TNF-α, CD3+ and MDA in mice with hydrogen-rich bath were lower than those in mice with distilled water bath (p < 0.05). In the skin, the mice treated with the hydrogen-rich water bath also had lower peak of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels. It is concluded that hydrogen-rich water bath can inhibit psoriasis inflammation and oxidative stress, relieve psoriasis skin lesions and accelerate the end of abnormal skin proliferation state, which shows a therapeutic and improving effect on psoriasis.