Recent advances in studies of molecular hydrogen in the treatment of pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas characterized by acinar cell injury and is associated with the abnormal release of trypsin, which results in high mortality due to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The inflammatory response, impaired autophagic flux, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and their interactions are involved in the development of pancreatitis. Molecular hydrogen (H2) is a novel antioxidant that possesses the features of selective scavenging of oxygen free radicals and nontoxic metabolites and has been shown to be efficacious for treating infection, injury, tumors, ischemia-reperfusion organ injury, metabolic disease and several other diseases. Recent studies have found that H2 is also useful in the treatment of pancreatitis, which may be related to the mechanism of antioxidative stress, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, regulation of immunity and regulation of molecular pathways. This review focuses on the pathogenesis of pancreatitis and the research progress and potential mechanisms of H2 against pancreatitis to provide theoretical bases for future research and clinical application of H2 therapy for pancreatitis.