Antitumoral Activity of Molecular Hydrogen and Proton in the Treatment of Glioblastoma: An Atypical Pharmacology?

Abstract

This review examines the antitumor properties of molecular hydrogen (H2) and protons (H+) with a focus on glioblastoma (GBM). H2 exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic characteristics that have been documented across multiple experimental and clinical investigations. In animal models, H2 inhalation suppressed GBM tumor growth and prolonged survival in tumor-bearing mice. At the cellular level, H2 reduced the sphere-forming capacity of glioma cells and inhibited their migration, invasion, and colony formation. Separately, proton beam radiotherapy was noted to offer certain advantages over conventional photon-based conformal approaches for central nervous system malignancies. The review highlights an emerging pharmacological framework in which both H2 and proton-based modalities may contribute to GBM management.

Mechanism

H2 selectively scavenges free radicals and is proposed to suppress glioma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic pathways.