Medicine - Nothing rotten about hydrogen sulfide's medical promise

Despite its toxicity and famously bad odor, hydrogen sulfide's ability to lower metabolism and create a hibernation-like state has scientists wondering whether the gas can help soldiers and other people withstand injuries or surgeriestoxicity. The gas starves the cells by disabling an enzyme necessary for extracting energy from food. The molecule has proven to be an influential physiological signal, with effects on everything from blood flow to hormone secretion. Eager to capitalize on these newfound capabilities, scientists are trying to exploit hydrogen sulfide to tame the side effects of common painkillers, for example, and curb heart attack damage.