Antioxidants (Basel). 2023 Aug 6;12(8):1570. doi: 10.3390/antiox12081570.

Nathalie Stummer ¹, René G Feichtinger ¹, Daniel Weghuber ¹, Barbara Kofler ^1 2, Anna M Schneider ¹

Author information

¹Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.

²Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), 5020 Salzburg, Austria.

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), originally known as toxic gas, has now attracted attention as one of the gasotransmitters involved in many reactions in the human body. H₂S has been assumed to play a role in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases, of which the exact pathogenesis remains unknown. One of them is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic intestinal disease subclassified as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Any change in the amount of H₂S seems to be linked to inflammation in this illness. These changes can be brought about by alterations in the microbiota, in the endogenous metabolism of H₂S and in the diet. As both too little and too much H₂S drive inflammation, a balanced level is needed for intestinal health. The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature published until June 2023 in order to provide an overview of the current knowledge of the connection between H₂S and IBD.