Objective      To investigate whether hydrogen rich saline (HRS) can ameliorate endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rats.       Methods      Healthy adult male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group

a model group

an HRS group

and a dexamethasone (DE) group

and EIU was induced in the rats of the later 3 groups by subcutaneously injecting 0.125 mg/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the footpads. The rats of the HRS group were injected with 20 mL/kg of HRS intraperitoneally at time points of 0

0.5

1

2

6

8

12

and 24 h and once a day

for 3 weeks after injection of LPS. The rats of the DE group were injected with 1 mg/kg of DE sodium phosphate injection intraperitoneally and immediately after injection of LPS. All the rats were examined under a slit-slam microscope and graded according to the clinical signs of uveitis at time points of 12

24

48

72

and 96 h after injection of LPS. Electroretinogram (ERG)

aqueous humor protein quantification and histological examination were carried out on 1

4

7

10

14 and 21 d after injection of LPS.       Results      The rats in the HRS group and the model group showed similar uveitis symptoms

and there were no significant differences in the slit-lamp microscope quantitative scores and inflammation cell counts (P0.05). Retinal function of the EIU rats was changed

with an elongated b wave potential in dark adaption 3.0 reaction. Compared with the model group

the b wave potential of the HRS group was shortened to some extent

but with no significant difference (P0.05). Aqueous humor protein level of the HRS group was slightly lower than that of the model group

with statistically significant difference (P0.05).       Conclusion      HRS cannot significantly ameliorate EIU in the rats.