Hydrogen Water Protects Brain After Cardiac Arrest in Rats
Hydrogen-rich saline attenuates hippocampus endoplasmic reticulum stress after cardiac arrest in rats
Research hubs: Cardiovascular System · 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
- Yu Gao, Qinfang Gui, Li Jin, Pan Yu, Lin Wu, Liangbin Cao, Qiang Wang, Manlin Duan
- Journal
- Neuroscience Letters
- Year
- 2017
- PMID
- 28087437
- Study Type
- Rat
- Participants
- 110
- Delivery
- Saline (Dissolved)
- Dose
- 5 ml/kg hydrogen-rich saline
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 25 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Hydrogen-rich saline helps rats recover better from brain damage caused by a temporary stop in heart function by reducing stress in brain cells.
Key Finding
Hydrogen-rich saline improved survival rates and neurological function in rats after cardiac arrest by reducing oxidative stress and suppressing harmful cellular stress responses in the brain.
Summary
Researchers gave rats hydrogen-rich saline (a salt solution containing dissolved hydrogen) after cardiac arrest to see if it could protect their brains from damage caused by lack of oxygen followed by blood flow restoration. The treatment improved survival rates and brain function, reduced harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, and prevented a cellular stress response in the hippocampus (a brain region important for memory) that normally leads to cell death.
Practical Takeaway
This rat study suggests hydrogen-rich saline may help protect brain tissue after cardiac arrest, but it is early-stage research in animals only. Much more work—including human trials—would be needed before any clinical use could be considered. The findings cannot yet be applied to human health or hydrogen water products.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Hydrogen-rich saline can selectively scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protect brain against ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been implicated in the pathological process of cerebral ischemia. However, very little is known about the role…