Influence of Active Hydrogen Discharged from Palladium-Nickel Alloy Powder on Biological Cells

Abstract

A selective cancer cell death induced by discharged hydrogen from Pd-Ni base hydrogen storage alloy (HSA) powder is demonstrated. From the cell experiment and the measurement of surviving cell rate, it was found that cell death was seen only in cancer cells (HeLa : cervical cancer cell) after 24h-and 48h-immersion of Pd-5at.%Ni alloy powder, while no harmful influence was observed in normal cells (MDCK : renal epithelial cell). The range of cancer cell death was limited just near the HSA powder. It is suggested that the hydrogen radical emitted from the HSA powder induces the formation of hydrogen peroxide and brings a detrimental effect in the cancer cell, while hydrogen peroxide is decomposed by the enzyme, catalase, in normal cells, resulting in the selective death of cancer cells.