Abstract
Argon is a noble gas element that has demonstrated narcotic and protective abilities that may prove useful in the medical field. The earliest records of argon gas have exposed its ability to exhibit narcotic symptoms at hyperbaric pressures greater than 10 atmospheres with more recent evidence seeking to display argon as a potential neuroprotective agent. The high availability and low cost of argon provide a distinct advantage over using similarly acting treatments such as xenon gas. Argon gas treatments in models of brain injury such as in vitro Oxygen-Glucose-Deprivation (OGD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), as well as in vivo Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) have largely demonstrated positive neuroprotective behavior. On the other hand, some warning has been made to potential negative effects of argon treatments in cases of ischemic brain injury, where increases of damage in the sub-cortical region of the brain have been uncovered. Further support for argon use in the medical field has been demonstrated in its use in combination with tPA, its ability as an organoprotectant, and its surgical applications. This review seeks to summarize the history and development of argon gas use in medical research as mainly a neuroprotective agent, to summarize the mechanisms associated with its biological effects, and to elucidate its future potential.
Highlights
Argon gas is considered a small noble gas element that has been applied in a number of fields
Though improvements were seen in the Oxygen-Glucose Deprived (OGD) environment and NMDAinduced cytotoxic models, the authors assess that argon gas would not be a suitable post-ischemic neuroprotective treatment for clinical use due to the negative outcome found in the Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion (MCAO) examination, and suggest that argon may be a useful neuroprotectant for other brain injuries such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
This study examined the role of extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 signaling, but did not find any changes in response to argon gas treatments [71]
Summary
Argon gas is considered a small noble gas element that has been applied in a number of fields. Argon neuroprotection in vitro A study by Jawad and colleagues aimed to compare the neuroprotective ability of the noble gases helium, neon, argon, and krypton to xenon in an Oxygen-Glucose Deprived (OGD) environment. Further supporting evidence for argon gas neuroprotection can be found in a study by Zhuang and colleagues aiming to compare noble gases treatments of helium, argon, and xenon to a control of nitrogen in a model of neonatal hypoxia-induced brain injury. Though improvements were seen in the OGD environment and NMDAinduced cytotoxic models, the authors assess that argon gas would not be a suitable post-ischemic neuroprotective treatment for clinical use due to the negative outcome found in the MCAO examination, and suggest that argon may be a useful neuroprotectant for other brain injuries such as TBI. The positive feedback from the use APC has allowed for speculation on its aptitude as a suitable replacement for standardized coagulation techniques such as bipolar coagulation [78]
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