COVID-19に対する分子状水素の補助的アプローチ：炎症制御と治療標的の検討
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is characterized by an exaggerated inflammatory response in which cytokine storms drive disease severity. This review examines the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying COVID-19 and surveys existing evidence showing that molecular hydrogen suppresses excessive inflammatory cells and mediators across a range of critical illnesses. In China, inhalation of a hydrogen-oxygen mixed gas was investigated as an adjunctive intervention for COVID-19 patients and was subsequently incorporated into national clinical guidelines. The review further evaluates the biological plausibility of hydrogen as an adjunct for COVID-19, identifying potential mechanistic targets including oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, and immune dysregulation, and discusses the feasibility of hydrogen-based strategies in this context.
Molecular hydrogen is proposed to selectively scavenge reactive oxygen species and suppress excessive pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby attenuating the cytokine storm central to COVID-19 pathophysiology.
For inhalation applications of molecular hydrogen, the lower flammability limit (LFL) deserves careful handling. The classical 4% figure applies to closed-system mixtures; the practical inhalation-environment threshold is 10%. Even pure-hydrogen output (the UFL 75% paradox) passes through the flammable range at the air–gas boundary. High-concentration (66% / 100%) inhalers are documented in the Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency accident-information database and are not recommended.
See also:
https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/34746162