Molecular hydrogen is comparable to sulfasalazine as a treatment for DSS-induced colitis in mice

Authors

  • Tyler W. LeBaron Centre of Experimental Medicine, Institute for Heart Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences of Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic; Molecular Hydrogen Institute, Utah, USA; Department of Kinesiology and Outdoor Recreation, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, 84720, Utah, USA http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9164-6728
  • Fereshteh Asgharzadeh Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8349-3722
  • Majid Khazaei Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; E-mail: KhazaeiM@mums.ac.ir https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7979-5699
  • Branislav Kura Centre of Experimental Medicine, Institute for Heart Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences of Comenius University, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6743-491X
  • Alex Tarnava Drink HRW and Natural Wellness Now Health Products Inc., Unit C 60, Braid St, New Westminster, BC, Canada https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0796-5345
  • Jan Slezak Centre of Experimental Medicine, Institute for Heart Research, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Tel.: +421 903 620 181, E-mail: jan.slezak@savba.sk https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4217-4493

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2021-3762

Keywords:

molecular hydrogen, colitis, inflammation, sulfasalazine, oxidative stress

Abstract

Colitis is an inflammatory condition of the bowels associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and fever. Its etiology is multifactorial but related to the overproduction of inflammatory and oxidative mediators. There is currently no cure for this disease, and drugs used to manage it often have deleterious side effects. H2 is recognized as having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which may qualify it as a novel therapeutic for colitis. We induced an acute model of colitis in mice by administering dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water for seven days. Mice were divided into five groups (n=6); normal, colitis, H2-treated colitis, sulfasalazine-treated colitis, and H2 plus sulfasalazine-treated colitis. From days three to ten, mice were given H2, sulfasalazine, or both. H2 was administered via dissolving a hydrogen-generating tablet in water to make hydrogen-rich water (HRW), which was ingested ad libitum and via oral gavage (200 μL). The Disease Activity Index (DAI), histological changes, and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress were assessed. HRW and sulfasalazine significantly improved bodyweight, DAI, mucosal damage, crypt loss, and spleen weight compared to control. Both treatments significantly decreased inflammation (high-sensitive C-reactive protein) and restored redox balance (total thiol, superoxide dismutase, catalase activity). There was a trend for the combination treatment to be more effective than either HRW or sulfasalazine alone. Furthermore, HRW tended to be as effective as, and often more effective than, sulfasalazine. HRW may serve as a therapeutic for ameliorating DSS-induced colitis in mice.

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Published

2021-06-29

How to Cite

LeBaron, T. W., Asgharzadeh, F., Khazaei, M., Kura, B., Tarnava, A., & Slezak, J. (2021). Molecular hydrogen is comparable to sulfasalazine as a treatment for DSS-induced colitis in mice. EXCLI Journal, 20, 1106–1117. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2021-3762

Issue

Vol. 20 (2021)

Section

Original articles

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Copyright (c) 2021 Tyler W. LeBaron, Fereshteh Asgharzadeh, Majid Khazaei, Branislav Kura, Alex Tarnava, Jan Slezak

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