Molecular hydrogen prevents osteoclast activation in a glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis zebrafish scale model
Carnovali M, Banfi G, Mariotti M. · Antioxidants. 2023;12(2):345.
Study at a glance
Preclinical
Ten-month-old AB-strain zebrafish exposed to 80 μM prednisolone as a glucocorticoid-induced bone-loss model.
Direct whole-fish immersion in H₂-rich fish water, with or without prednisolone, changed twice daily for 14 days; a separate repair experiment added H₂ water after 14 days of prednisolone. · Generator water was diluted 1:13, yielding a 7.7% volume fraction of the prepared water at pH 7.6. This is not a 7.7% H₂ concentration. Dissolved H₂ was not numerically measured; reducing ORP dissipated over about 90 minutes.
Fourteen-day prevention exposure or 14 days of prednisolone followed by 14 days with/without H₂ water in the repair experiment.
Preventive co-treatment reduced prednisolone-associated TRAP activity and scale resorption. It did not prevent reduced osteoblast ALP activity, and delayed H₂-water treatment did not accelerate repair of established resorption lacunae; H₂ water alone did not significantly alter enzymatic activity.
Zebrafish-scale model, only three fish per group per experiment, scale-level pseudoreplication risk, unmeasured dissolved-H₂ concentration and rapid loss of reducing potential. Authors declared no conflicts; no explicit funding statement was identified, so funding absence is not inferred.
What kind of evidence is this?
Preclinical
Preventive and repair-mode adult-zebrafish scale experiment
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
Ten-month-old AB-strain zebrafish exposed to 80 μM prednisolone as a glucocorticoid-induced bone-loss model.
54 fish across repeated experiments; each treatment group used three fish per experiment and assays analyzed 20 scales per fish.
Fourteen-day prevention exposure or 14 days of prednisolone followed by 14 days with/without H₂ water in the repair experiment.
Direct whole-fish immersion in H₂-rich fish water, with or without prednisolone, changed twice daily for 14 days; a separate repair experiment added H₂ water after 14 days of prednisolone.
H₂ dissolved in immersion water — H₂ only, not Brown's gas and not inhalation.
Generator water was diluted 1:13, yielding a 7.7% volume fraction of the prepared water at pH 7.6. This is not a 7.7% H₂ concentration. Dissolved H₂ was not numerically measured; reducing ORP dissipated over about 90 minutes.
Fish water alone, H₂ water alone, prednisolone alone and combined preventive/repair schedules.
Outcomes and reported result
Scale osteoclast TRAP activity, osteoblast ALP activity, mineralized scale area and filling of resorption lacunae.
Preventive co-treatment reduced prednisolone-associated TRAP activity and scale resorption. It did not prevent reduced osteoblast ALP activity, and delayed H₂-water treatment did not accelerate repair of established resorption lacunae; H₂ water alone did not significantly alter enzymatic activity.
The complete free PMC article, figures and methods were checked for animal/scale units, preparation dilution versus actual H₂ concentration, ORP decay, preventive positive findings, osteoblast/repair null findings and disclosures.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Zebrafish-scale model, only three fish per group per experiment, scale-level pseudoreplication risk, unmeasured dissolved-H₂ concentration and rapid loss of reducing potential. Authors declared no conflicts; no explicit funding statement was identified, so funding absence is not inferred.
Prednisolone-associated scale remodeling in zebrafish; it does not establish osteoporosis prevention or treatment in people.
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
PMID: 36829904 · DOI: 10.3390/antiox12020345
Free full article in PubMed Central.
Complete PMC article and PubMed metadata; full-text extraction checked 9 August 2026.
10 August 2026
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