No abstract

Protective effect of hydrogen (H(2)) gas on cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury has been demonstrated previously. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that hydrogen-rich saline (saline saturated with molecular hydrogen), which is easy to use, induces cardioprotection against ischemia (30 min) and reperfusion (24 h) injury in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 30-min occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and 24-h reperfusion. Intraperitoneal injection of hydrogen-rich saline before reperfusion significantly decreased plasma and myocardium malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, decreased cardiac cell apoptosis, and myocardial 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in area at risk zones (AAR), suppressed the activity of caspase-3, and reduced infarct size. The heart function parameters including left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVDP), +(dP/dt)(max) and -(dP/dt)(max) were also significantly improved 24 h after reperfusion. It is concluded that hydrogen-rich saline is a novel, simple, safe, and effective method to attenuate myocardial I/R injury.

Hydrogen gas was reported to reduce reactive oxygen species and alleviate cerebral, myocardial and hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries. This paper studied the effect of hydrogen-rich saline, which was easier for clinical application, on the intestinal I/R injury. Model of intestinal I/R injury was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Physiological saline, hydrogen-rich saline or nitrogen-rich saline (5 ml/kg) was administered via intravenous infusion at 10 min before reperfusion, respectively. The intestine damage was detected microscopically and was assessed by Chiu score system after I/R injury. In addition, serum DAO activity, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 levels, tissue MDA, protein carbonyl and MPO activity were all increased significantly by I/R injury. Hydrogen-rich saline reduced these markers and relieved morphological intestinal injury, while no significant reduction was observed in the nitrogen-rich saline-treated animals. In conclusion, hydrogen-rich saline protected the small intestine against I/R injury, possibly by reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress.