Intrathecal infusion of hydrogen-rich normal saline attenuates neuropathic pain via inhibition of activation of spinal astrocytes and microglia in rats
Ge Y et al. · PLoS One. 2014;9(5):e97436.
Study at a glance
Preclinical
Rats with L5 spinal-nerve ligation
20 μL hydrogen-rich saline injected intrathecally as single, repeated or preemptive treatment · 0.6 mmol/L dissolved H₂; prepared under 0.4 MPa for 6 hours.
Single-dose effect followed for 8 hours; repeated and preemptive schedules extended across the perioperative period
The article reports short-acting analgesic behavior after one dose, improvement without observed tolerance during repeated dosing and lower oxidative, glial and inflammatory measures.
Invasive intrathecal delivery in a small preclinical nerve-ligation model with several separate cohorts.
What kind of evidence is this?
Preclinical
Rat L5 spinal-nerve-ligation experiments including crossover, repeated-treatment and preemptive-treatment cohorts
Musculoskeletal and pain research
Other forms
Information not yet classified
Some editorial classification fields are still pending. The source-reported outcomes and result are shown below; Hydrogenology does not infer a positive or negative signal from prose automatically.
Methods
Rats with L5 spinal-nerve ligation
Principal behavioral comparisons used n=10; immunostaining n=10 and selected protein assays n=5
Single-dose effect followed for 8 hours; repeated and preemptive schedules extended across the perioperative period
20 μL hydrogen-rich saline injected intrathecally as single, repeated or preemptive treatment
H₂ dissolved in saline — H₂ only, not Brown’s gas and not inhalation.
0.6 mmol/L dissolved H₂; prepared under 0.4 MPa for 6 hours.
Equal-volume normal saline, sham surgery and untreated catheterized controls
Outcomes and reported result
Mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, 8-OH-G, MnSOD nitration, glial activation, TNF-α and IL-1β
The article reports short-acting analgesic behavior after one dose, improvement without observed tolerance during repeated dosing and lower oxidative, glial and inflammatory measures.
Concentration, volume, schedules, crossover design, positive findings, funding and conflicts checked in the open-access full text.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Invasive intrathecal delivery in a small preclinical nerve-ligation model with several separate cohorts.
Neuropathic pain behavior after nerve ligation in rats, not treatment of neuropathic pain in people.
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
PMID: 24857932 · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097436
Open-access full text is available through PMC and PLOS.
Open-access PMC/PLOS full text and PubMed record; no retraction or expression of concern was shown in the checked records on 7 August 2026.
10 August 2026
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