High-concentration hydrogen mitigates sepsis-induced acute lung injury in mice by alleviating mitochondrial fission and dysfunction
Zhao N, Sun R, Cui Y, Song Y, Ma W, Li Y, Liang J, Wang G, Yu Y, Han J, Xie K. · J Pers Med. 2023;13(2):244.
Study at a glance
Preclinical
Mice with moderate or severe polymicrobial sepsis
2% or 67% H₂ inhalation for 1 hour at 1 and 6 hours after surgery · Low-concentration arm: 2% H₂ with O₂ maintained at 33%, total flow 4 L/min. High-concentration arm: 67% H₂ oxyhydrogen; total high-concentration flow was not reported.
Two 1-hour inhalations; outcomes at 24 hours and survival through 7 days
The article reports improved survival and organ-injury measures with both concentrations, with several outcomes favoring 67% H₂. Mitochondrial membrane potential improved but was not fully normalized, and complex II activity did not significantly change.
Large but highly partitioned preclinical experiment with short treatment and many outcomes. High-concentration flow was not disclosed; low-arm component flows are calculations from total mixture flow.
What kind of evidence is this?
Preclinical
Randomized six-group mouse cecal-ligation-and-puncture experiment comparing low- and high-concentration H₂
Critical care and ischemia-reperfusion
Inhaled H₂
Information not yet classified
Some editorial classification fields are still pending. The source-reported outcomes and result are shown below; Hydrogenology does not infer a positive or negative signal from prose automatically.
Methods
Mice with moderate or severe polymicrobial sepsis
Six groups of 60 mice; survival cohorts used n=20/group and principal tissue assays commonly used n=6/group
Two 1-hour inhalations; outcomes at 24 hours and survival through 7 days
2% or 67% H₂ inhalation for 1 hour at 1 and 6 hours after surgery
The 67% intervention was Brown’s gas / oxyhydrogen generated at approximately 2:1 H₂:O₂. The 2% intervention was separately mixed low-concentration H₂.
Low-concentration arm: 2% H₂ with O₂ maintained at 33%, total flow 4 L/min. High-concentration arm: 67% H₂ oxyhydrogen; total high-concentration flow was not reported.
Low arm: 80 mL/min H₂, calculated from 2% of the reported 4 L/min mixture. High Brown’s-gas arm: H₂ flow not reported.
Low arm: O₂ maintained at 33% (about 1,320 mL/min if applied to the reported 4 L/min total flow). High arm: approximately 33% O₂, but O₂ flow was not reported.
Moderate- and severe-sepsis groups breathing control air/oxygen, plus sham
Outcomes and reported result
Survival, lung, liver and kidney injury, inflammation, oxidative balance and mitochondrial structure and function
The article reports improved survival and organ-injury measures with both concentrations, with several outcomes favoring 67% H₂. Mitochondrial membrane potential improved but was not fully normalized, and complex II activity did not significantly change.
Allocation, gas preparation, low-flow value, high-concentration Brown’s-gas identity, principal positive and null results, funding and conflicts checked in the open-access full text.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit.
Limitations and applicability
Large but highly partitioned preclinical experiment with short treatment and many outcomes. High-concentration flow was not disclosed; low-arm component flows are calculations from total mixture flow.
Cecal-ligation-and-puncture sepsis in mice, not clinical sepsis or acute lung injury.
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Read how records and evidence assessments are prepared.
Sources and record status
PMID: 36836478 · DOI: 10.3390/jpm13020244
Open-access full text is available through PMC and the publisher.
Open-access PMC/publisher full text and PubMed record; no retraction or expression of concern was shown in the checked records on 7 August 2026.
10 August 2026
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