Hydrogen Gas Protects Lungs from Severe Injury in Mice Study
Molecular hydrogen ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mice through reducing inflammation and apoptosis
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
- Keliang Xie, Yonghao Yu, Yi Huang, Lina Zheng, Jipeng Li, Hongguang Chen, Huanzhi Han, Lichao Hou, Gu Gong, Guolin Wang
- Journal
- Shock
- Year
- 2012
- PMID
- 22508291
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 2% H2 inhaled for 1 h at 1 and 6 h after LPS administration; 10 mL/kg hydrogen-rich saline via i.p. injection
- H₂ concentration
- 2% H2 gas
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 190 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing hydrogen gas or receiving hydrogen-rich saline injections can reduce lung damage and inflammation in mice with a lung injury caused by bacterial toxins.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas inhalation and hydrogen-rich saline both significantly reduced lung injury, inflammation, and cell death in mice exposed to a bacterial toxin that causes acute lung injury.
Summary
This study tested whether hydrogen gas could protect mice from acute lung injury (severe lung damage) caused by a bacterial toxin called lipopolysaccharide. Researchers gave mice hydrogen gas to breathe or injected them with hydrogen-rich saline, and found that both treatments reduced lung damage, decreased inflammation (the body's harmful immune response), and prevented lung cells from dying compared to untreated mice.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen may have protective effects against severe lung injury in mice. 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 water or hydrogen gas would help people with lung disease. Much more research would be needed before any clinical use could be considered.
Abstract (excerpt)
Acute lung injury (ALI) is still a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Recently, our and other studies have found that hydrogen gas (H₂) treatment can ameliorate the lung injury induced by sepsis, ventilator, hyperoxia, and ischemia-reperfusion. However…