Hydrogen Gas Shows Promise for Treating Eye Blood Vessel Blockages in Rats
Protective effects of hydrogen gas in a rat model of branch retinal vein occlusion via decreasing VEGF-α expression
Research hubs: Eyes & Vision System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Pan Long, Weiming Yan, Mengshan He, Qianli Zhang, Zhe Wang, Manhong Li, Junhui Xue, Tao Chen, Jing An, Zuo-Ming Zhang
- Journal
- BMC Ophthalmology
- Year
- 2019
- PMID
- 31096936
- Study Type
- Rat
- Participants
- 36
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 42% H2 gas inhalation for 8 hours every day for 30 days post-occlusion
- H₂ concentration
- 42% H2
- Duration
- 30 days
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 14 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas helps rats recover faster from a type of eye blockage that can lead to blindness by reducing swelling and improving eye function.
Key Finding
Rats breathing hydrogen gas showed faster reopening of blocked retinal blood vessels (about 2.2 days versus 4.2 days), improved retinal function, and reduced retinal swelling compared to untreated rats.
Summary
This study tested whether breathing hydrogen gas could help rats recover from branch retinal vein occlusion, a condition where blood vessels in the eye become blocked. Rats that inhaled a hydrogen gas mixture for 8 hours daily for 30 days showed better eye function, faster reopening of blocked blood vessels, less swelling in the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye), and lower levels of a growth factor called VEGF-α compared to rats that did not receive hydrogen gas.
Practical Takeaway
While this rat study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect the retina during blood vessel blockage by reducing oxidative stress, these results cannot yet be applied to humans. Clinical trials in people with retinal vein occlusion would be needed to determine if hydrogen therapy has real benefits for human eye health.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Oxidative stress (OS) is an essential factor in the pathogenesis of branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Studies have demonstrated the role of hydrogen gas in the regulation of OS. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of hydrogen gas on the BRVO rat model. Methods…