Hydrogen in Drinking Water Reduces Dopaminergic

Neuronal Loss in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-

tetrahydropyridine Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

It has been shown that molecular hydrogen (H2) acts as a therapeutic antioxidant and suppresses brain injury by buffering

the effects of oxidative stress. Chronic oxidative stress causes neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Here, we show that drinking H2-containing water significantly reduced the loss of dopaminergic neurons in PD model mice

using both acute and chronic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The concentrationdependency

of H2 showed that H2 as low as 0.08 ppm had almost the same effect as saturated H2 water (1.5 ppm). MPTPinduced

accumulation of cellular 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a marker of DNA damage, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), a

marker of lipid peroxidation were significantly decreased in the nigro-striatal dopaminergic pathway in mice drinking H2-

was not reduced significantly. Our results indicated that low concentration of H2 in drinking water can reduce oxidative

stress in the brain. Thus, drinking H2-containing water may be useful in daily life to prevent or minimize the risk of life stylerelated

oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.
 

Editor: David C. Rubinsztein, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom