Medicinal gases for treating central nervous system injuries

Sienel, Rebecca I. und Plesnila, Nikolaus (2026): Medicinal gases for treating central nervous system injuries. In: Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, Vol. 230, 115782

Abstract

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries - such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and perinatal hypoxia - trigger complex secondary cascades involving oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis that limit recovery and therapeutic efficacy. Recent advances in medical gas delivery offer a novel, multifaceted approach to modulate these pathological processes. Gases including hydrogen, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, xenon, and argon demonstrate potent neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and vasomodulatory properties in preclinical models. This review synthesizes current evidence on gas-based interventions across CNS pathologies, elucidates their molecular mechanisms, and evaluates translational challenges related to timing, dosing, and delivery technologies. Gas therapeutics represent a promising frontier in neurocritical care with potential to transform outcomes in otherwise intractable neurological injuries.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine > Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy); Medicine > Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD)
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 0169-409X
• Language: English
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 390857198