Letter to the Editor
Lactulose: an effective preventive and therapeutic option for ischemic stroke by production of hydrogen
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* Corresponding author: Xuejun Sun sunxjk@hotmail.com
1 Graduates Management Unit, Changhai hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, PR China
2 Graduates Management Unit, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, PR China
3 Department of Diving Medicine, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, PR China
Medical Gas Research 2012, 2:3 doi:10.1186/2045-9912-2-3
Published: 6 February 2012Abstract
Lactulose, a synthetic sugar not able to be digested and absorbed by human beings, is widely used to treat constipation and hepatic encephalopathy clinically. Through fermentation by the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, lactulose can produce considerable amount of hydrogen, which is protective for ischemic stroke as a unique antioxidant. We propose that lactulose can induce the production of endogenous hydrogen that in turn reduces oxidative stress and ameliorate the stroke damage in human beings.