Evaluation of the potential protective effect of hydrogen-rich saline against brain injury in experimental head trauma model in rats.

Abstract

‎Head trauma is one of the main reasons for morbidity and mortality in motor vehicle and work accidents. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hydrogen on head trauma injury. The study groups were divided into four groups, with six rats in each group as follows: Control or no treatment (group C), Head Trauma Injury (group HI), Hydrogen-rich Saline (group H2), and Head Trauma Injury + hydrogen-rich saline (group HI+H2). Blood and brain tissues, serum, interleukin (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) parameters were analyzed. Histopathologically, hematoxylin-eosin and TUNEL staining were performed on the tissue samples. A significant increase in TNF-α and IL-6 levels in the HI group that decreased when hydrogen-rich saline was applied, i.e., the HI+H2 group. Histopathologically, a decrease in degenerative cells was observed in the treatment group (i.e., HI+H2). TUNEL staining also showed a decrease in the number of stained cells in the HI+H2 group compared to the HI group. It is thought that hydrogen-rich saline treatment may be suggested to alleviate the damage caused by head trauma injury.