Hydrogen Water Protects Brain After Cardiac Arrest in Rats
- Authors
- Yu Gao, Qinfang Gui, Li Jin, Pan Yu, Lin Wu, Liangbin Cao, Qiang Wang, Manlin Duan
- Journal
- Neuroscience Letters
- Year
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.01.020
- Study Type
- Rat
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Cardiac Arrest
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich saline helps rats recover better from brain damage caused by a temporary stop in heart function by reducing stress in brain cells.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich saline improved survival rates and neurological function in rats after cardiac arrest by reducing oxidative stress and suppressing harmful cellular stress responses in the brain.
Summary
Researchers gave rats hydrogen-rich saline (a salt solution containing dissolved hydrogen) after cardiac arrest to see if it could protect their brains from damage caused by lack of oxygen followed by blood flow restoration. The treatment improved survival rates and brain function, reduced harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, and prevented a cellular stress response in the hippocampus (a brain region important for memory) that normally leads to cell death.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may help protect brain tissue after cardiac arrest, but it is early-stage research in animals only. Much more work—including human trials—would be needed before any clinical use could be considered. The findings cannot yet be applied to human health or hydrogen water products.
Abstract
Background: Hydrogen-rich saline can selectively scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protect brain against ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been implicated in the pathological process of cerebral ischemia. However, very little is known about the role of hydrogen-rich saline in mediating pathophysiological reactions to ERS after I/R injury caused by cardiac arrest. Methods: The rats were randomly divided into three groups, sham group (n=30), ischemia/reperfusion group (n=40) and hydrogen-rich saline group (n=40). The rats in experimental groups were subjected to 4minutes of cardiac arrest and followed by resuscitation. Then they were randomized to receive 5ml/kg of either hydrogen-rich saline or normal saline. Results: Hydrogen-rich saline significantly improves survival rate and neurological function. The beneficial effects of hydrogen-rich saline were associated with decreased levels of oxidative products, as well as the increased levels of antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, the protective effects of hydrogen-rich saline were accompanied by the increased activity of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), the decreased activity of cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-12 (caspase-12) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Conclusions: Hydrogen-rich saline attenuates brain I/R injury may through inhibiting hippocampus ERS after cardiac arrest in rats.