Nitrous Oxide Abuse: Clinical Outcomes, Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics, Toxicity and Impact on Metabolism

Overview

Journal Toxics

Date 2023 Dec 22

PMID 38133363

Authors

Emeline Gernez

Graham Robert Lee

Jean-Paul Niguet

Farid Zerimech

Anas Bennis

Guillaume Grzych

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The recreational use of nitrous oxide (NO), also called laughing gas, has increased significantly in recent years. In 2022, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) recognized it as one of the most prevalent psychoactive substances used in Europe. Chronic nitrous oxide (NO) exposure can lead to various clinical manifestations. The most frequent symptoms are neurological (sensitive or motor disorders), but there are also other manifestations like psychiatric manifestations or cardiovascular disorders (thrombosis events). NO also affects various neurotransmitter systems, leading to its anesthetic, analgesic, anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. NO is very challenging to measure in biological matrices. Thus, in cases of NO intoxication, indirect biomarkers such as vitamin B12, plasma homocysteine and plasma MMA should be explored for diagnosis and assessment. Others markers, like oxidative stress markers, could be promising but need to be further investigated.

Citing Articles

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Enhancing Differential Diagnosis Related to Oxidative Stress, Nitrous Oxide, and Nutrition by Rapid Plasma Homocysteine Measurement.

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