Hydrogen Gas Reduces Blood Pressure and Lung Inflammation in Rats
Hydrogen Inhalation Reduces Lung Inflammation and Blood Pressure in the Experimental Model of Pulmonary Hypertension in Rats
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System · Respiratory System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Tatyana Kuropatkina, Dmitrii Atiakshin, Fedor Sychev, Marina Artemieva, Tatyana Samoilenko, Olga Gerasimova, Viktoriya Shishkina, Khaydar Gufranov, Natalia Medvedeva, Tyler W. LeBaron, Oleg Medvedev
- Journal
- Biomedicines
- Year
- 2023
- PMID
- 38137362
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 4% molecular hydrogen inhalation for 21 days
- H₂ concentration
- 4% H2 gas
- Duration
- 3 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 6 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Russia
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas didn't cure rat lung disease but did lower blood pressure and reduce some signs of inflammation.
Key Finding
Hydrogen inhalation reduced systemic blood pressure and inflammatory markers in rats with experimentally induced pulmonary hypertension, though it did not reverse the primary lung condition itself.
Summary
Researchers gave rats a substance that causes lung high blood pressure, then had some of them breathe air mixed with 4% hydrogen gas for 21 days. While the hydrogen didn't fix the main lung problem, it did lower the rats' overall blood pressure and reduced markers of inflammation (including immune cells called mast cells and a protein called TGF-β) in their bodies.
Practical Takeaway
This early animal study suggests hydrogen gas may have anti-inflammatory effects that could help with blood pressure and immune responses related to lung disease, but these results are from rats only and much more research—including human studies—would be needed before drawing any conclusions about hydrogen's usefulness for people with pulmonary hypertension.
Abstract (excerpt)
Hydrogen has been shown to exhibit selective antioxidant properties against hydroxyl radicals, and exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The monocrotaline-induced model of pulmonary hypertension is suitable for studying substances with antioxidant activity because oxidative stress…