Hydrogen gas (XEN) inhalation ameliorates airway inflammation in asthma and COPD patients

Abstract

Summary Background Hydrogen was proven to have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammation effects to various diseases. Aim We wish to investigate the acute effects of inhaled hydrogen on airway inflammation in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Design Prospective study. Methods 2.4% hydrogen containing steam mixed gas (XEN) was inhaled once for 45 minutes in 10 patients with asthma and 10 patients with COPD. The levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon-γ (IFNγ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), et al. in peripheral blood and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) before and after “XEN” inhalation were measured. Results 45 minutes “XEN” inhalation once decreased monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP1) level in both COPD (564.70 to 451.51pg/mL, P = 0.019) and asthma (386.39 to 332.76 pg/mL, P = 0.033) group, while decreased IL-8 level only in asthma group (5.25 to 4.49pg/mL, P = 0.023). The level of EBC soluble cluster of differentiation-40 ligand (sCD40L) in COPD group increased after inhalation (1.07 to 1.16pg/mL, P = 0.031), while IL-4 and IL-6 levels in EBC were significantly lower after inhalation in the COPD (0.80 to 0.64pg/mL, P = 0.025) and asthma (0.06 to 0.05pg/mL, P = 0.007) group respectively. Conclusions A single inhalation of hydrogen for 45 minitues attenuated inflammatory status in airways in patients with asthma and COPD.

Molecular Hydrogen: A Promising Adjunctive Strategy for the Treatment of the COVID-19

“…Wang et al found that the levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-4, and IL-6 in peripheral blood decreased significantly after inhalation of 2.4% hydrogen gas via a nasal catheter for 45 min in the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Hydrogen reduces airway inflammation by reducing cytokine levels (65). According to the above studies, the use of hydrogen gas can reduce the destructive cytokine storm and lung injury caused by SARS-CoV-2 in the early stage of the COVID-19, stimulate sputum drainage, and ultimately reduce the incidence of severe disease (49).…”

Hydrogen: A Potential New Adjuvant Therapy for COVID-19 Patients

“…Accordingly, hydrogen treatment can reduce the levels of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-1 β, IL-6, IL-8, HMGB1, CCL2, and Egr-1 in lung tissue in an animal model ( Huang et al, 2010a ). Furthermore, inhaling hydrogen for 45 minutes can reduce airway inflammation in patients with asthma and COPD ( Wang et al, 2020 ). At the same time, previous studies have shown that an increase in IL-10 can inhibit the synthesis and release of inflammatory cells and colony stimulating factors ( Laveda et al, 2006 ).…”

Safety and efficacy of a COVID‑19 treatment with nebulized and/or intravenous neutral electrolyzed saline combined with usual medical care vs. usual medical care alone: A randomized, open‑label, controlled trial

“…For the case of the benefits observed in damaged lung, a study performed in mice with chronic lung injury induced by hypoxia/re-oxygenation, demonstrated that inhalation of molecular hydrogen attenuated preexistent lung injuries ( 101 ). When 20 patients with asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease inhaled a 2.4% hydrogen-containing steam mixed gas (for 45 min), attenuation of their inflammatory airway status (decrease of selected pro-inflammatory biomarkers) was observed ( 102 ).…”

“…Treatment with molecular antioxidants reduces intracellular levels of influenza virus polymerase, providing a possible mechanism of viral titer reduction in response to antioxidant treatment (98). Additionally, it has been demonstrated that small antioxidant molecules, specifically molecular hydrogen, produce anti-inflammatory effects over multiple COVID-19 target organs, such as the lung, kidney, liver and brain, when compromised by acute and/or chronic diseases (97,(99)(100)(101)(102). For instance, a study suggested that intraperitoneal administration of hydrogen-rich saline to rats with ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury, prevented fibrosis damage and improved renal function (99).…”