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Carbon monoxide--toxicity of low-dose application
Rene Schmidt1, Helen Ryan, Alexander Hoetzel
1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany. rene.schmidt@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
|December 29, 2011
Summary
Carbon monoxide (CO), once seen as toxic, is now recognized for vital physiological roles. Low-dose CO shows potent cytoprotective effects, suggesting therapeutic potential.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Toxicology
- Physiology
Background:
- Carbon monoxide (CO) traditionally viewed as a toxic combustion byproduct.
- Acute high-concentration CO exposure is a leading cause of fatal poisoning.
- Emerging evidence highlights endogenous CO's essential physiological functions and role in cellular hemostasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review toxicological data on low-dose CO exposure.
- To assess the safety of low-dose CO for potential clinical applications.
- To explore CO's therapeutic potential based on cytoprotective effects.
Main Methods:
- Review of in vitro and in vivo studies on CO application.
- Analysis of toxicological data from low-dose CO exposure models.
- Examination of CO's protective effects in various conditions like ischemia/reperfusion, transplantation, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
Main Results:
- CO produced endogenously by heme oxygenase is vital for cellular hemostasis.
- Exogenously applied low-concentration CO demonstrates potent cytoprotective effects.
- CO's protective actions are observed across diverse organs, species, and administration routes.
Conclusions:
- Low-dose CO exhibits significant cytoprotective properties.
- Extensive research supports CO's potential as a therapeutic agent.
- Further investigation into low-dose CO safety is crucial for clinical translation.
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