Molecular Hydrogen Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Growth via the AKT/SCD1 Signaling Pathway
Zhang X et al. · Biomed Res Int. 2022;2022:8024452.
Study at a glance
Preclinical
RKO, SW480 and HCT116 colorectal-cancer cell lines; BALB/c nude mice bearing RKO xenografts
Mice inhaled a 66% H₂ and 33% O₂ mixture for 2 hours/day from day 2 through day 21 · Source methods report 66% H₂ and 33% O₂; the chamber atmosphere was monitored by gas chromatography.
2 hours/day for three weeks; tumors excised on day 21
Tumor weight was 1.11 vs 1.56 g (p=0.021) and volume 898 vs 1413 mm³ (p=0.032) with oxyhydrogen versus control. Cell proliferation and pathway signals also changed; the 491 human tissue specimens were correlative and were not exposed to H₂.
Only 10 xenograft mice, preclinical model, no patient treatment experiment and several mechanistic analyses. The article did not use patient-derived or orthotopic xenografts and did not report gas flow.
What kind of evidence is this?
Preclinical
Colorectal-cancer cell experiments and randomized mouse xenograft experiment
Cancer research
Inhaled H₂
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
RKO, SW480 and HCT116 colorectal-cancer cell lines; BALB/c nude mice bearing RKO xenografts
10 xenograft mice randomized to gas groups; cell experiments were repeated at least three times
2 hours/day for three weeks; tumors excised on day 21
Mice inhaled a 66% H₂ and 33% O₂ mixture for 2 hours/day from day 2 through day 21
Brown’s gas / oxyhydrogen — H₂ and O₂ co-delivered from a hydrogen-oxygen generator.
Source methods report 66% H₂ and 33% O₂; the chamber atmosphere was monitored by gas chromatography.
Not reported — the article gives chamber concentration but no H₂ flow in mL/min.
33% O₂ was co-delivered; O₂ flow in mL/min was not reported.
66% N₂ and 33% O₂ chamber exposure
Outcomes and reported result
Cell proliferation and apoptosis, xenograft tumor volume and weight, and AKT/SCD1 pathway measurements
Tumor weight was 1.11 vs 1.56 g (p=0.021) and volume 898 vs 1413 mm³ (p=0.032) with oxyhydrogen versus control. Cell proliferation and pathway signals also changed; the 491 human tissue specimens were correlative and were not exposed to H₂.
Gas composition, animal methods, principal results and limitations checked in the open-access full text; generator flow was not reported.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Only 10 xenograft mice, preclinical model, no patient treatment experiment and several mechanistic analyses. The article did not use patient-derived or orthotopic xenografts and did not report gas flow.
Colorectal-cancer cell lines and a mouse xenograft model; not people with colorectal cancer.
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
PMID: 35528164 · DOI: 10.1155/2022/8024452
Open-access full text is available through PMC.
Open-access PMC full text and PubMed bibliographic record.
10 August 2026
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