Respiratory treatments of carbon monoxide

2001/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biokimika

According to researchers at Columbia University, carbon monoxide does not have to be always toxic. As is known, when breathing CO, alveolar hemoglobin instead of absorbing oxygen absorbs carbon monoxide, which reduces the transport of blood to body tissues.

The effects are headache, tiredness, rapid heartbeat, coma, and finally death. However, scientists believe that carbon monoxide can sometimes be indispensable for survival, as it helps improve the body's mechanism to dissolve coacles and dilate veins. When heart attacks block the veins, the enzyme oxygenase breaks down molecules called hemes to obtain CO molecules.

Carbon monoxide also activates the enzyme guanilata cyclase. Finally, this enzyme promotes dilation of the veins so that the right amount of oxygen reaches the body tissues. In view of this mechanism, scientists are developing treatments based on controlled inhalation of carbon monoxide.