Hydrogen Inhalation Boosts Lung Treatment for Silicosis Patients
- Authors
- Kang Xiao, Yanping Sang, Mao Cao, Yong Yang, Mengjie Cheng, Jiazi Ma, Siqi Wang, Xinyue Li, Xuansheng Ding, Zhongjun Du
- Journal
- Respiratory Medicine
- Year
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.rmed.2026.108939
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Silicosis
- Body System
- Respiratory
TL;DR
In patients with stage II silicosis, hydrogen inhalation plus tetrandrine improved lung gas-exchange capacity, lowered IL-6, and eased symptoms more than tetrandrine alone.
Key Finding
Patients who received hydrogen gas combined with tetrandrine showed significantly better lung function and lower inflammatory markers compared to those receiving tetrandrine alone.
Summary
This study tested whether adding hydrogen gas inhalation to a drug called tetrandrine could better treat silicosis (a lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust) compared to using tetrandrine alone. In 108 patients with stage II silicosis, those who received both hydrogen and tetrandrine showed better lung function, lower inflammation markers in their blood, and fewer breathing problems than those who received tetrandrine only.
Practical Takeaway
This early human study suggests that hydrogen inhalation combined with tetrandrine may help improve lung function in silicosis patients more effectively than tetrandrine alone. However, the study was relatively small and conducted in one hospital, so larger and longer-term studies would be needed to confirm these findings and determine if this approach could be useful for other populations with lung disease.
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tetrandrine (Tet) alone and in combination with hydrogen (H2) inhalation in patients with stage II silicosis. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study, 116 patients with stage II silicosis treated at Lai Zhou City Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment Hospital were enrolled. The assessed outcomes included pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, clinical symptoms, and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels following treatment with Tet alone or Tet combined with H2 inhalation. Results: From October 2023 to February 2024, 116 patients were enrolled, and 108 were included in the final analysis, with 54 patients in the Tet monotherapy group and 54 patients in the H2 plus Tet combination therapy group. Combination therapy with hydrogen significantly improved diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide) compared with Tet alone (7.370 L vs. 8.589 L, P < 0.05). Additionally, it significantly reduced serum IL-6 levels (4.74 mg/L vs. 2.32 mg/L, P < 0.05) and alleviated clinical symptoms, including dyspnea. Conclusions: H2 combined with Tet was more effective than Tet alone in the treatment of stage II silicosis.