Commentary
Is methane a new therapeutic gas?
1 Department of Diving Medicine, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
2 Institute of Nautical Medicine, Nantong University, Jiangsu, 226019, P.R. China
3 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA
Medical Gas Research 2012, 2:25 doi:10.1186/2045-9912-2-25
Published: 25 September 2012Abstract
Background
Methane is an attractive fuel. Biologically, methanogens in the colon can use carbon dioxide and hydrogen to produce methane as a by-product. It was previously considered that methane is not utilized by humans. However, in a recent study, results demonstrated that methane could exert anti-inflammatory effects in a dog small intestinal ischemia-reperfusion model.
Point of view
Actually, the bioactivity of methane has been investigated in gastrointestinal diseases, but the exact mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effects is required to be further elucidated. Methane can cross the membrane and is easy to collect due to its abundance in natural gas. Although methane is flammable, saline rich in methane can be prepared for clinical use. These seem to be good news in application of methane as a therapeutic gas.
Conclusion
Several problems should be resolved before its wide application in clinical practice.
