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Effects of hydrogen sulfide on hemodynamics, inflammatory response and oxidative stress during resuscitated hemorrhagic shock in rats

Frédérique Ganster, Mélanie Burban, Mathilde de la Bourdonnaye, Lionel Fizanne, Olivier Douay, Laurent Loufrani, Alain Mercat, Paul Calès, Peter Radermacher, Daniel Henrion, Pierre Asfar* and Ferhat Meziani

Critical Care 2010, 14:R165 doi:10.1186/cc9257

Mechanism of hydrogen sulfide effects

Heikki Savolainen   (2010-09-21 17:27)  Dept. of Occup. Safety & Hlth., Tampere, Finland email

Dear Editor,

Hydrogen sulfide is a notorious inhibitor of the cytochrome oxidase activity at the end of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (1). This explains the lethality of the gas exposure accidents and decreased consumption of oxygen in the brain (1).

The elegant work by Ganster et al. (2) shows beneficial effects in the vascular system by a much lower dose. One might ask whether the mechanisms of these are other than the inhibition of oxygen metabolism. Hydrosulfide salts are also very alkaline and it may be asked whether this plays a role in a direct infusion as well.

1 Rafalowska U, Zitting A, Savolainen H. Metabolic changes in rat brain synaptosomes after exposure to sulfide in vivo. Toxicol Lett 1986; 34: 193-200

2 Ganster F, Burban M, de La Bourdonnaye M, et al. Effects of hydrogen sulfide on hemodynamics, inflammatory response and oxidarive stress during resuscitated hemorrhagic shock in rats. Critical Care
2010; 14: R165

Competing interests

None

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