Abstract
Lactulose, a synthetic sugar not able to be digested and absorbed by human beings, is widely used to treat constipation and hepatic encephalopathy clinically. Through fermentation by the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, lactulose can produce considerable amount of hydrogen, which is protective for ischemic stroke as a unique antioxidant. We propose that lactulose can induce the production of endogenous hydrogen that in turn reduces oxidative stress and ameliorate the stroke damage in human beings.
Highlights
Stroke is the second leading cause of death in the Western world, ranking after heart diseases and before cancer [1], causing 10% of deaths worldwide [2]
An ischemic stroke can be due to ischemia caused by blockage, which may lead to rapidly developing loss of brain functions as a result of disturbance in the blood supply to the brain [4]
A number of recent studies have revealed that stroke and oxidative stress are closely related and excess oxidative stress may have deleterious effects on clinical outcome in acute ischemic stroke [7,8]
Summary
Stroke is the second leading cause of death in the Western world, ranking after heart diseases and before cancer [1], causing 10% of deaths worldwide [2]. Therapeutic effects of hydrogen gas and hydrogen-rich saline have been experimentally confirmed in a number of studies, including hypoxia [11,12], ischemia-reperfusion injuries in various tissues and organs [13,14,15,16,17,18], and other injuries related to oxidative stress. Hydrogen showed significant protective effects [21]. Endogenous hydrogen is effective for alleviating oxidative stress For therapeutic purposes, whether inhalation of hydrogen gas or injection or drinking of hydrogen-rich saline have unavoidable inconvenience.
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