Background: Hydrogen has been proven to be a novel antioxidant through its selectively reducing of the hydroxyl radical. In this study, we investigated the effects of hydrogen-rich saline on the prevention of acute lung injury induced by hyperoxia (HALI) in rats.
Materials and methods: Physiologic saline, hydrogen-rich saline, or nitrogen-rich saline was administered through intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection during exposure to hyperoxia (10 mL/Kg), respectively.
Results: Severity of HALI was assessed by the volume of pleural effusion, wet-to-dry weight ratio (W/D), and histologic analysis. Apoptosis in lung cells was determined with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive staining. The content of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin IL-1b and TNF-a in the lung tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hydrogen-rich saline treatment provides protection against HALI by inhibiting lipid, DNA oxidation, and tissue edema. Moreover, hydrogen-rich saline treatment could inhibit apoptosis and inflammation while no significant reduction was observed in nitrogen-rich saline treated animals.
Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that hydrogen-rich saline ameliorated hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory cascades in lung tissue.
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