# Maternal molecular hydrogen administration on lipopolysaccharide-induced mouse fetal brain injury.
> リポ多糖誘発マウス胎児脳障害に対する母体への水素分子投与の効果


## Abstract

Fetal brain injury frequently arises in the context of prenatal inflammation, yet effective preventive strategies remain scarce. This animal study examined whether hydrogen-rich water given to pregnant C3H/HeN mice could reduce fetal brain damage induced by intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on gestational day 15.5. Hydrogen-rich water was provided for 24 hours before LPS injection. Fetal brain tissue collected on gestational day 16.5 was assessed by immunohistochemistry for apoptosis and oxidative damage, and IL-6 mRNA levels were quantified by real-time PCR. LPS administration significantly elevated all three markers compared with controls. In dams that received hydrogen-rich water prior to LPS, apoptosis, oxidative damage, and IL-6 mRNA were each significantly reduced. These findings indicate that antenatal hydrogen-rich water intake by the mother may attenuate LPS-driven inflammatory and oxidative injury in the developing fetal brain.

### Mechanism

Molecular hydrogen selectively scavenges hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite, thereby suppressing LPS-induced oxidative damage, apoptosis, and IL-6 mRNA upregulation in the fetal brain following maternal administration.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Nakano T, Kotani T, Mano Y, Tsuda H, Imai K, Ushida T, et al.
- **Journal**: J Clin Biochem Nutr
- **Year**: 2015
- **PMID**: [26566302](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26566302/)
- **DOI**: [10.3164/jcbn.15-90](https://doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.15-90)
- **PMC**: [PMC4639595](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639595/)
- **Study type**: animal study
- **Delivery route**: hydrogen-rich water
- **Effect reported**: positive

## Delivery context

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

## Safety notes

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

See also:
- [Inhalation concentration and LFL / UFL](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/inhalation-concentration)
- [Consumer Affairs Agency accident cases](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/accident-cases)
- [Inhalation safety threshold lineage](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/lineage)

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> **Cite as**: H2 Papers — PMID 26566302. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/26566302
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [26566302](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26566302/)