The role of hydrogen sulfide in pathologies of the vital organs and its clinical application

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is one of the more recently recognised gaseous transmitters that have been shown to be involved in a large range of cellular functions. While H₂S generally has pro-survival and anti-apoptotic effects, at higher concentrations, this effect is reversed and it becomes anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic instead. H₂S is also involved in a number of organ specific functions such as thermoregulation, modulating myocardial activity and broncho-dilation. H₂S has organ protective effects in ischaemia, acting as a vasodilator and negative inotrope to reduce blood pressure. H₂S generally has a protective effect in acute inflammation and oxidative stress from causes such as allergy and toxins. In chronic organ pathology, low H₂S levels have been observed in a number of different diseases, while there is evidence that H₂S may be beneficial in a number of chronic organ degenerations. A number of studies on human tissue and cell line conducted in the recent years shows H₂S exerting largely similar effects in humans as those in animals. This may indicate that the pharmacological potential of H₂S modulators could have therapeutic value in a large range of acute conditions such as ischaemia, toxin exposure as well as chronic conditions such as hypertension, lung diseases and neurodegenerative disease.