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Table 1 Physicochemistry and biology of hydrogen sulfide

From: Bench-to-bedside review: Hydrogen sulfide – the third gaseous transmitter: applications for critical care

Environmental toxicology

Toxic gas originating from sewers, swamps, and putrefaction

Endogenous sources

Synthesized in various tissues from L-cysteine by cystathionine-β-synthase or cystathionine-γ-lyase

Pharmacological inhibitors

D,L-propargylglycine and β-cyanoalanine (limited selectivity, unspecific side-effects)

Elimination kinetics

Half-life within minutes; metabolites comprise thiosulfate, sulfite, and sulfate

Receptors and targets

Potassium-dependent ATP channels (others?); cytochrome c oxidase

Vascular effects

Vasodilatation or vasoconstriction (depending on local oxygen concentration)

Biological effects

Radical scavenging, upregulation of heme oxygenase-1. Toxicology: pulmonary irritant, mitochondrial poison

Inflammatory effects

Dose-dependently proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects

  1. Table adapted from [1].
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Critical Care

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