This study explores the concept related to hydrogen and its manifestation in hydrogen Chinese medicine (HCM) from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. It provides a comprehensive overview of the current research status in hydrogen medicine from both modern medical and TCM perspectives. Furthermore, it outlines the future directions to integrate hydrogen into HCM. In modern medicine, extensive research on hydrogen has targeted at the conditions including respiratory, endocrine metabolic disorders, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and eye-related illnesses. Research findings have indicated the hydrogen's beneficial role in prevention and treatment, yet challenges still remain, such as limited clinical trials and undefined molecular mechanisms. HCM is an emerging field of research, which currently only focuses on hydrogen's synergistic effects with traditional Chinese medicines and the development of related equipment. Future research in HCM should delve into how hydrogen aligns with the principles of TCM treatment, establish a theoretical framework for HCM, and develop HCM therapeutic methods. It should also employ modern scientific research methods to evaluate the feasibility and mechanisms of hydrogen under the guidance of TCM theories. Additionally, conducting clinical trials to provide clinical data for HCM applications will provide valuable insights for the diversified development of hydrogen medicine.

hydrogen  /  traditional Chinese medicine  /  mutual transformation of gas and water  /  Yin-Yang theory