Possible Mechanisms of Biological Effects Observed in Living Systems during 2H/1H Isotope Fractionation and Deuterium Interactions with Other Biogenic Isotopes

Molecules. 2019 Nov 13;24(22):4101. doi: 10.3390/molecules24224101.

Abstract

This article presents the original descriptions of some recent physics mechanisms (based on the thermodynamic, kinetic, and quantum tunnel effects) providing stable 2H/1H isotope fractionation, leading to the accumulation of particular isotopic forms in intra- or intercellular space, including the molecular effects of deuterium interaction with 18O/17O/16O, 15N/14N, 13C/12C, and other stable biogenic isotopes. These effects were observed mainly at the organelle (mitochondria) and cell levels. A new hypothesis for heavy nonradioactive isotope fractionation in living systems via neutron effect realization is discussed. The comparative analysis of some experimental studies results revealed the following observation: "Isotopic shock" is highly probable and is observed mostly when chemical bonds form between atoms with a summary odd number of neutrons (i.e., bonds with a non-compensated neutron, which correspond to the following equation: Nn - Np = 2k + 1, where k ϵ Z, k is the integer, Z is the set of non-negative integers, Nn is number of neutrons, and Np is number of protons of each individual atom, or in pair of isotopes with a chemical bond). Data on the efficacy and metabolic pathways of the therapy also considered 2H-modified drinking and diet for some diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Friedreich's ataxia, mitochondrial disorders, diabetes, cerebral hypoxia, Parkinson's disease, and brain cancer.

Keywords: deuterium; electron density delocalization; isotopic discrimination; isotopic resonance; living systems; mitochondrial disorders; neurodegenerative diseases; neutron; nonradioactive isotopes.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemical Fractionation
  • Deuterium / chemistry*
  • Deuterium / isolation & purification*
  • Deuterium / metabolism
  • Deuterium / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Isotopes / chemistry*
  • Isotopes / isolation & purification*
  • Isotopes / therapeutic use
  • Models, Chemical
  • Neutrons
  • Organelles / chemistry
  • Organelles / metabolism
  • Proton Therapy
  • Protons

Substances

  • Isotopes
  • Protons
  • Deuterium