Table 1.
Summary of H2S releasing/stimulating reagents.
| Reagents | Potential applications | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaseous H2S | Reduce body temperature and metabolic rate; improve glucose uptake in type 2 diabetes | Clean H2S source; no byproducts; easy administration; good absorbability | High volatility; difficult to control concentrations; uncontrolled H2S release |
| Inorganic sulfide salts | |||
| NaHS, Na2S | Widely used in cellular and animal disease models; intravenous administration to healthy volunteers | Good solubility; easy to handle; clean H2S source, no byproducts | High volatility; difficult to control concentrations; Uncontrolled H2S release |
| Garlic-derived sulfur containing compounds | |||
| DAS, DADS, DATS | Proliferative inhibition in tumor cells; improvement of tissue repair and myocardial function | Extensive data on a variety of models | Stability of polysulfides is a concern; interfere with GSH |
| Synthetic slow-releasing H2S donors | |||
| GYY4137, ACS14 | Cytoprotection; anti-cancer and anti-inflammation activities | Good stability; slow H2S release; ACS14 overcomes side effects of NSAIDs | Uncontrolled release; unclear release mechanism; produce byproducts |
| Novel controllable H2S donors | |||
| N-mercapto/persulfide-based donors, JK donors | Myocardial/gastric preservation | Good stability; controlled H2S release | Produce byproducts |
| Tetrathiomolybdate | A common Cu2+ chelator; dermal, myocardial and cerebral preservation | Good stability and safety; a clinically used drug | Unclear byproducts could cause side effects |
| ROS-/enzyme-activated H2S donors | Cytoprotection and anti-inflammation | Good stability; controlled H2S release | Produce byproducts; lacking in vivo data |
| H2S-releasing materials | |||
| SATO-based polymers/micelles, polyNTA, PEG-ADT, PCL-JK1 | Anti-cancer activity; improvement of wound healing; cardioprotection | Good solubility, stability, membrane permeability; slow clearance rates | More in vivo data are needed |
| H2S-stimulating agents | |||
| L-cysteine derivatives, Vitamin D | Anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and cardioprotection | Transformed into endogenous substances | |