Molecular Hydrogen Reverses Nociplastic Pain and Depressive-like Behaviors via Region- and Sex-Dependent Central Mechanisms
Negrini-Ferrari SE et al. · Int J Mol Sci. 2026;27(7):3051.
Study at a glance
Preclinical
Male and female C57BL/6 mice with reserpine-induced fibromyalgia-like features
Hydrogen-rich water for six consecutive days · Numeric H₂ concentration was not identified in the extracted full-text passages.
Six consecutive treatment days, with tissue collection on day 28 after reserpine exposure
The article reports improvement in pain-like and depressive-like behaviors, with region- and sex-dependent molecular changes. Spinal NLRP3 was not altered by H₂ water.
Mouse model with small groups, multiple behavioral and molecular outcomes and sex-stratified analyses. It does not establish benefit in people with fibromyalgia or depression.
What kind of evidence is this?
Preclinical
Controlled male and female mouse experiment with behavioral and regional molecular analyses
Musculoskeletal and pain research
H₂-rich water
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
Male and female C57BL/6 mice with reserpine-induced fibromyalgia-like features
Behavioral comparisons n=6/group; molecular analyses n=4/group
Six consecutive treatment days, with tissue collection on day 28 after reserpine exposure
Hydrogen-rich water for six consecutive days
H₂ dissolved in water — H₂ only, not Brown’s gas and not inhalation.
Numeric H₂ concentration was not identified in the extracted full-text passages.
Reserpine and vehicle mice receiving vehicle water
Outcomes and reported result
Mechanical, thermal and cold sensitivity, depressive-like behaviors, oxidative stress, ERK, NLRP3 and antioxidant proteins in spinal cord and amygdala
The article reports improvement in pain-like and depressive-like behaviors, with region- and sex-dependent molecular changes. Spinal NLRP3 was not altered by H₂ water.
Behavioral and molecular results checked in the open-access full text; numeric water concentration still requires confirmation.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Mouse model with small groups, multiple behavioral and molecular outcomes and sex-stratified analyses. It does not establish benefit in people with fibromyalgia or depression.
Reserpine-induced nociplastic-pain-like behavior in mice, not human fibromyalgia.
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
PMID: 41977237 · DOI: 10.3390/ijms27073051
Open-access full text is available through PMC.
Open-access PMC full text and PubMed record.
10 August 2026
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