ischemia-reperfusion injury

107 papers

Research evidence summary

Q: Does molecular hydrogen help with ischemia-reperfusion injury?

A: Of 107 peer-reviewed papers, 71 reported a positive effect (the most common), 4 limited/mixed, 1 negative, 31 not assessed. Study mix: 12 human (5 RCT), 66 animal/basic, 27 meta-analysis or synthesis. The most studied delivery route is inhalation. The above aggregates published research and does not constitute a clinically established conclusion. See the individual paper pages for details and Safety notes for inhalation safety. (last updated 2026-05-15)

Evidence breakdown
Human	12	of which RCT	5
Animal/basic	66	Synthesis/meta	27
Reported effect	positive 71 ・ limited/mixed 4 ・ negative 1 ・ not assessed 31

Read the safety notes →

Delivery-method distribution

inhalation: 37 hydrogen-rich water: 19 mixed routes: 18 injection / infusion: 18 not specified: 7 in vitro: 4 topical application: 2 hydrogen bath: 1 animal model: 1

Hydrogen gas inhalation alleviated cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating mitophagy in SH-SY5Y cells and mice via PTEN-induced kinase 1/Parkin pathway.
2026 ・ J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis ・ PMID 42049119

inhalation positive animal study
Hydrogen Molecule Delivery System to Ischemic Intestine Using Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of Aorta in Hemorrhagic Shock-A Proof-of-Concept Study.
2026 ・ Biomedicines ・ PMID 41751354

injection / infusion positive animal study
Acoustic hydrogen delivery to treat PANoptosis induced by myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.
2026 ・ Biomater Adv ・ PMID 41671925

injection / infusion positive animal study
Hydrogen gas promotes neuroprotection and upregulates ATF5 expression in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.
2026 ・ Exp Neurol ・ PMID 41386344

inhalation positive animal study
Gas Therapies for Neuro-Protection.
2026 ・ Crit Care Clin ・ PMID 41260719

inhalation not assessed review
Molecular hydrogen and kidney diseases: a scoping review based on scientometry and data analytics.
2026 ・ Med Gas Res ・ PMID 40826940

mixed routes positive review
Molecular Hydrogen Affords Similar Neuroprotection to Therapeutic Hypothermia in a Porcine Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.
2025 ・ Antioxidants (Basel) ・ PMID 41462605

inhalation positive animal study
Superoxide- and semiquinone-linked activation of molecular hydrogen in metal-catalyst-free solution.
2025 ・ Front Mol Biosci ・ PMID 41195421

in vitro positive in vitro study
Molecular hydrogen-rhodiola as an adjuvant therapy for ischemic stroke in internal carotid artery occlusion: A case report.
2025 ・ Open Med (Wars) ・ PMID 41141928

hydrogen-rich water positive human case report
Silicon Nanostructures for Hydrogen Generation and Storage.
2025 ・ Nanomaterials (Basel) ・ PMID 41090875

not specified not assessed review
Hydrogen-rich gas enhances mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory function recovery in Caco-2 cells post-ischemia-reperfusion injury.
2025 ・ Biochem Biophys Res Commun ・ PMID 41043278

in vitro positive in vitro study
Optimized dose of hydrogen-enriched water with minocycline combination therapy in experimental ischemic stroke.
2025 ・ Brain Res ・ PMID 40935311

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Molecular hydrogen as a novel regulator of cellular pyroptosis: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications.
2025 ・ Mol Biol Rep ・ PMID 40569354

not specified not assessed review
Local Visible-Photocatalytic Production of Hydrogen and Warm Heat for Combination Treatment of Pressure Ulcer.
2025 ・ Adv Sci (Weinh) ・ PMID 40491331

topical application positive animal study
Molecular Hydrogen Therapy: Mechanisms, Delivery Methods, Preventive, and Therapeutic Application.
2025 ・ MedComm (2020) ・ PMID 40297245

mixed routes not assessed review
Exploring the Potential of HTherapy in Reducing Surgical Complications: A Review on Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Anti-fibrotic Mechanisms.
2025 ・ Curr Pharm Des ・ PMID 40017254

mixed routes not assessed review
Performance of Unmodified Mechanical Ventilators With 2% Hydrogen Gas Mixtures.
2025 ・ Respir Care ・ PMID 39969918

inhalation not assessed other
Synergistic Antioxidant Effects of Molecular Hydrogen and Cold Atmospheric Plasma in Enhancing Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy.
2024 ・ Antioxidants (Basel) ・ PMID 39765910

mixed routes not assessed review
Molecular Hydrogen Therapy in Aneurysmal SAH With RA and Newly-diagnosed SLE, Complicated With Acute Ischemic Infarction: A Case Report of Improved Immune Markers Including Tr1 Cells, Breg Cells and TIM3 Expression on Tc Cells.
2024 ・ In Vivo ・ PMID 39477420

hydrogen-rich water positive human case report
Combination of Hydrogen Inhalation and Hypothermic Temperature Control After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Post hoc Analysis of the Efficacy of Inhaled Hydrogen on Neurologic Outcome Following Brain Ischemia During PostCardiac Arrest Care II Trial.
2024 ・ Crit Care Med ・ PMID 39133068

inhalation mixed human randomized controlled trial
The Protective Role of Molecular Hydrogen in Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.
2024 ・ Int J Mol Sci ・ PMID 39063126

mixed routes not assessed review
Hydrogen alleviates hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage in neonatal rats by inhibiting injury of brain pericytes.
2024 ・ J Cell Mol Med ・ PMID 39001579

hydrogen-rich water positive animal study
Molecular Hydrogen: Emerging Treatment for Stroke Management.
2023 ・ Chem Res Toxicol ・ PMID 37988743

mixed routes not assessed review
Hydrogen-rich saline alleviates cardiomyocyte apoptosis by reducing expression of calpain1 via miR-124-3p.
2023 ・ ESC Heart Fail ・ PMID 37602925

injection / infusion positive animal study
Molecular hydrogen: prospective treatment strategy of kidney damage after cardiac surgery.
2023 ・ Can J Physiol Pharmacol ・ PMID 37463517

inhalation positive animal study