Hydrogen and CO Gas Reduce Heart Damage During Transplant in Rats
Amelioration of rat cardiac cold ischemia/reperfusion injury with inhaled hydrogen or carbon monoxide, or both
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Atsunori Nakao, David J. Kaczorowski, Yinna Wang, Jon S. Cardinal, Bettina M. Buchholz, Ryujiro Sugimoto, Kimimasa Tobita, Sungsoo Lee, Yoshiya Toyoda, Timothy R. Billiar, Kenneth R. McCurry
- Journal
- The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
- Year
- 2010
- PMID
- 20036162
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 1 hour inhalation before reperfusion and 1 hour after reperfusion
- H₂ concentration
- 1% to 3% H2 gas
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 119 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- United States
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases can reduce heart damage caused by poor blood flow and oxygen after a heart transplant, especially when used together.
Key Finding
Combined inhalation of hydrogen and carbon monoxide provided significantly greater protection against cold storage damage in transplanted rat hearts than either gas alone, particularly during prolonged storage periods.
Summary
Researchers tested whether inhaled hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide gas, or both together could protect rat hearts from damage during transplantation after being stored in cold conditions. They found that hydrogen or carbon monoxide alone provided some protection during shorter storage periods, but when the storage time was extended to 18 hours, neither gas alone worked well. However, when both gases were used together, they significantly reduced heart damage by working through two different protective mechanisms: hydrogen reduced harmful molecules called free radicals, while carbon monoxide reduced inflammation and cell death.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study in rats using a specific medical transplant scenario, not a study of hydrogen water for general health. While the results suggest hydrogen and carbon monoxide may work together through different protective pathways, much more research—including human studies—would be needed before any clinical applications could be considered. The findings do not apply to drinking hydrogen water or other consumer hydrogen products.
Abstract (excerpt)
Recent advances in novel medical gases, including hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO), have demonstrated significant opportunities for therapeutic use. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of inhaled hydrogen or CO, or both, on cold ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the myocardium…