Hydrogen Gas Reduces Brain Injury From Oxygen Loss in Newborn Rats
Hydrogen inhalation protects hypoxic–ischemic brain damage by attenuating inflammation and apoptosis in neonatal rats
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Guojiao Wu, Zhiheng Chen, Peipei Wang, Mingyi Zhao, Masayuki Fujino, Chen Zhang, Wenjuan Zhou, Shin-Ichi Hirano, Xiao-Kang Li, Lingling Zhao
- Journal
- Experimental Biology and Medicine
- Year
- 2019
- PMID
- 31189349
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- hydrogen inhalation for 30, 60, or 90 minutes
- Duration
- 36 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 25 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas can reduce brain damage and improve memory in baby rats that have suffered from a lack of oxygen and blood flow to the brain, with longer inhalation times leading to better results.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas inhalation reduced brain inflammation and neuronal cell death in newborn rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, with protective effects increasing as treatment duration extended from 30 to 90 minutes.
Summary
This study tested whether inhaling hydrogen gas could protect newborn rat brains from damage caused by lack of oxygen and blood flow. Researchers induced this type of brain injury in baby rats, then treated them with hydrogen gas for 30, 60, or 90 minutes. They found that hydrogen inhalation reduced inflammation (the brain's immune response) and cell death in the brain, with longer treatment times showing stronger effects. The treated rats also performed better on memory tests weeks later compared to untreated injured rats.
Practical Takeaway
While this animal study suggests hydrogen inhalation may have neuroprotective properties for oxygen-deprivation brain injury, these findings are from newborn rats only and have not been tested in humans. Much more research, including human clinical trials, would be needed before any therapeutic applications could be considered for neonatal brain injury in infants.
Abstract (excerpt)
Hypoxic–ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is one of the leading causes of brain injury in infant with high risk of mortality and disability; therefore, it is important to explore more feasible and effective treatment strategies. Here, we assessed the neuroprotective effects of different hydrogen…