Effects of hydrogen-rich saline on interleukin-8 and pathology in rats with hyperoxia-induced lung injury

Objective To observe the effect of hydrogen-rich saline on hyperoxia-induced lung injury in neonatal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods Newborn SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: air group, hyperoxia group, and hyperoxia + hydrogen-rich saline group. The hyperoxia group and the hyperoxia+ hydrogen-rich saline group were placed in an oxygen chamber with a 90%-95% oxygen concentration. The hyperoxia + hydrogen-rich saline group was injected with hydrogen-rich saline twice a day (10 ml/kg). The air group and hyperoxia group were injected with normal saline twice a day (10 ml/kg). The clinical manifestations of each group were recorded at 1, 3, 7, and 10 days after birth. At the same time, the alveolar lavage fluid of each group was taken and interleukin-8 was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the pathological changes of the lungs were observed. Results Compared with the air group, the content of interleukin-8 in the hyperoxia group was significantly higher. In the hyperoxia group, pulmonary hemorrhage, thinning of alveolar septum, and massive alveolar fusion were observed. Compared with the hyperoxia group, the content of interleukin-8 in the hyperoxia+ hydrogen-rich saline group was significantly lower, and pulmonary hemorrhage and pulmonary alveolar fusion were significantly reduced. Conclusion Hydrogen-rich saline can alleviate hyperoxia-induced lung inflammation in neonatal SD rats. Key words: Hydrogen-rich saline; Hyperoxia-induced lung injury; Interleukin-8