New Possibilities of the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Pathologies. The Potential of Molecular Hydrogen in the Reduction of Oxidative Stress and its Consequences

Abstract

Disproportion between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the body's antioxidant system can cause oxidative stress, which is considered a common denominator in various pathological conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, aging, and cognitive disorders. The generation of free radicals, which occurs through partial reduction of oxygen, can quickly overwhelm the endogenous antioxidant system capacity of the cell. This causes lipid, protein, DNA and RNA damage, inflammation, and overall cell degeneration, which can be mitigated by various antioxidants. However, their use in human medicine did not bring the expected effect. Molecular hydrogen (H2), due to its unique physical and chemical properties, provides a number of benefits for alleviating oxidative stress. H2 is superior to conventional antioxidants as it can selectively reduce ●OH radicals while preserving important ROS that are otherwise used for normal cell signaling.

Study details

Article type

Review

Disease / injury model

Cardiovascular diseases, ischemia-reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, heart transplantation, aging, cognitive decline

Dose-dependent effect

No

Outcome

Positive

Findings

Molecular hydrogen (H2) shows significant potential in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular pathologies by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, and by modulating key signaling pathways. It has demonstrated protective effects in animal models and clinical studies, particularly in ischemia-reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, and heart transplantation, and may also benefit aging and cognitive decline.