Hydrogen Gas Protects Liver from Surgery-Related Damage in Mice
Inhalation of high concentrations of hydrogen ameliorates liver ischemia/reperfusion injury through A2A receptor mediated PI3K-Akt pathway
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (mouse)
- Authors
- He Li, Ouyang Chen, Zhouheng Ye, Rongjia Zhang, Huijun Hu, Ning Zhang, Junlong Huang, Wenwu Liu, Xuejun Sun
- Journal
- Biochemical Pharmacology
- Year
- 2017
- PMID
- 28188779
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 66.7% hydrogen and 33.3% oxygen inhalation for 1 hour immediately after surgery
- H₂ concentration
- 66.7% H2
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 44 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing in high levels of hydrogen gas can protect mice's livers from damage caused by temporarily cutting off and then restoring blood flow, and this protection is linked to a specific cell signaling pathway.
Key Finding
High-concentration hydrogen gas inhalation significantly reduced liver damage and cell death in mice with surgical liver ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating a specific cellular signaling pathway.
Summary
Researchers tested whether breathing high concentrations of hydrogen gas could protect mouse livers from damage caused by temporarily cutting off blood supply during surgery and then restoring it. They found that hydrogen inhalation reduced liver damage, improved liver function, and prevented liver cell death by activating a specific cellular signaling pathway (called the A2A receptor-mediated PI3K-Akt pathway).
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study that identifies a potential mechanism for how hydrogen might protect liver tissue during surgical procedures. However, these results are from mice only and have not been tested in humans, so it is too early to draw conclusions about whether hydrogen inhalation would be beneficial for people undergoing liver surgery.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background and aims: This study explored the hepatoprotection of high concentrations of hydrogen (HCH) inhalation in a mouse hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury model and the potential mechanism. Methods: To explore the role of the PI3K-Akt pathway in the hepatoprotection of HCH, C57BL/6 mice…