Hydrogen Therapy Protects Liver During Surgery in Pigs
Effect of hydrogen-rich saline on apoptosis induced by hepatic ischemia reperfusion upon laparoscopic hepatectomy in miniature pigs
Research hubs: Digestive System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (pig)
- Authors
- Qianzhen Zhang, Yansong Ge, Hui Li, Ge Bai, Zhihui Jiao, Xiangdong Kong, Weijing Meng, Hong-Bin Wang
- Journal
- Research in Veterinary Science
- Year
- 2018
- PMID
- 30077949
- Study Type
- Pig
- Delivery
- Saline (Dissolved)
- Dose
- 10 mL/kg hydrogen-rich saline by portal venous injection 10 min before reperfusion and at 1 d, 2 d, and 3 d after surgery
- Duration
- 3 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 16 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich saline (HRS) reduces liver damage and improves liver function after surgery by preventing cell death in a pig model.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich saline significantly reduced liver damage and cell death in pigs undergoing surgical liver removal, as shown by lower levels of liver enzymes in the blood and decreased activation of cell-death pathways.
Summary
Researchers tested whether hydrogen-rich saline (a salt solution containing dissolved hydrogen gas) could protect pig livers from damage during surgery. When liver tissue is cut off from blood flow during surgery and then blood flow is restored, it can cause injury and cell death. In this study, pigs given hydrogen-rich saline before and after surgery showed reduced liver damage markers in their blood and fewer dying cells compared to pigs that didn't receive the treatment.
Practical Takeaway
This is an animal study (in pigs) showing that hydrogen-rich saline may help protect liver tissue during surgery. While the results are promising, this is early-stage research and does not yet demonstrate benefits in humans. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before any clinical recommendations could be made.
Abstract (excerpt)
Hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (HIRI) occurs commonly in liver surgery and liver transplantation. Hydrogen, a safe and effective antioxidant, exerts a protective effect against liver injury. In this study, we investigated the role of hydrogen-rich saline (HRS) in apoptosis in a miniature pig…