Molecular hydrogen is protective against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nigrostriatal degeneration in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.
Molecular hydrogen serves as an antioxidant that reduces hydroxyl radicals, but not the other reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In the past year, molecular hydrogen has been reported to prevent or ameliorate eight diseases in rodents and one in human associated with oxidative stress. In Parkinson's disease, mitochondrial dysfunction and the associated oxidative stress are major causes of dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra. We examined effects of approximately 50%-saturated molecular hydrogen in drinking water before or after the stereotactic surgery on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced nigrostrital degeneration in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Methamphetamine-induced behavioral analysis showed that molecular hydrogen prevented both the development and progression of the nigrostrital degeneration. Tyrosine hydroxylase staining of the substantia nigra and striatum also demonstrated that pre- and post-treatment with hydrogen prevented the dopaminergic cell loss. Our studies suggest that hydrogen water is likely able to retard the development and progression of Parkinson's disease.
Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Yuan
Y
Fu
Mikako
M
Ito
Yasunori
Y
Fujita
Masafumi
M
Ito
Masatoshi
M
Ichihara
Akio
A
Masuda
Yumi
Y
Suzuki
Satoshi
S
Maesawa
Yasukazu
Y
Kajita
Masaaki
M
Hirayama
Ikuroh
I
Ohsawa
Shigeo
S
Ohta
Kinji
K
Ohno
D000284:Administration, Oral; D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000737:chemistry; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008845:Microinjections; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016627:Oxidopamine; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D008694:Methamphetamine; D006859:Hydrogen; D016627:Oxidopamine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine