Hydrogen Gas Protects Lungs from Severe Injury in Mice
High concentration of hydrogen ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in a sirt1-dependent manner
Research hubs: Respiratory System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- Junfeng Du, Jingwen Li, Rongqin Li, Xixin Yan
- Journal
- Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology
- Year
- 2021
- PMID
- 34757082
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Gas
- H₂ concentration
- 66.7% H2 gas
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 10 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing in high levels of hydrogen gas can reduce lung damage and inflammation caused by a bacterial toxin in mice.
Key Finding
High-concentration hydrogen gas (66.7%) reduced lung inflammation and injury in mice by activating a cellular protein called sirt1, which suppressed inflammatory responses and oxidative stress.
Summary
Researchers exposed mice with lung injury (caused by a bacterial toxin called lipopolysaccharide) to high-concentration hydrogen gas and found that it reduced inflammation, swelling, and tissue damage in the lungs. The protective effect worked through a specific cellular pathway involving a protein called sirt1, which helped control inflammatory molecules and reduce harmful oxidative stress (cellular damage from unstable molecules).
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen gas may help protect against acute lung injury through a specific cellular mechanism. However, these results are from mice only and do not yet tell us whether hydrogen would have similar effects in humans with lung disease. Much more research, including human trials, would be needed before any therapeutic claims could be made.
Abstract (excerpt)
The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and underlying mechanism of high concentration of hydrogen on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). We have established a corresponding mouse model and examined the function of hydrogen inhalation on lung pathology…