Effect of Hydrogen-Rich Saline on Sepsis Induced Acute Lung Injury in a Rat Model of Sepsis

Objective:To investigate the effects of hydrogen-rich saline(HRS) on sepsis induced acute lung injury in a rat model of sepsis.Methods:Sepsis was induced in male rats by cecal ligation and puncture(CLP).Twenty-four rats were equally assigned to the Sham group,the CLP group,and the CLP + HRS group(n = 8).At 0,6 and 18 h after CLP or sham operation,rats received an intraperitoneal injection of HRS(5 ml/kg of body weight) or the same volume of normal saline.Malondial dehyde(MDA),superoxide dismutase(SOD) activities,TNF-α,IL-6,HMGB1,IL-10,pulmonary nitric oxide,myeloperoxidase(MPO) activities,wet-to-dry weight(W/D) ratio,histological scores,and apoptotic analysis were assessed at 24 h after operation.Results:CLP significantly increased TNF-α,IL-6,HMGB1,IL-10,MDA,SOD,MPO activity,W/D and histological scores while decreased SOD activities.HRS treatment significantly reduced pulmonary IL-6,HMGB1 and MDA levels,whereas increased the SOD activities 24 h after CLP when compared with the CLP group.Total histological scores and W/D ratio were significantly higher in the CLP group compared with the CLP + HRS group.Conclusions:HRS improves pulmonary function by downregulating the oxidative stress and inflammation in a rat model of sepsis.