We often think about danger when the words 'carbon monoxide' are spoken. But a preliminary laboratory study may have found a positive effect of carbon monoxide.
According to a report in The American Journal of Pathology carbon monoxide may be a viable treatment alternative for pre-eclampsia.
Pre-eclampsia can be a fatal condition that develops during pregnancy. It is composed of several key clinical features including high blood pressure, edema, and protein in the urine. Women with pre-eclampia are at risk for pre-term labor, surgical delivery, and seizures. In the most severe cases both the mother and baby can die.
Treatment for pre-eclampsia is limited, in part due to a lack of understanding about the mechanisms involved in the development of the condition. The main cause of pre-eclampsia is thought to be abnormalities of the placenta and its specialized cells.
Researchers in Ontario Canada decided to test the effects of carbon monoxide on placental cells because of data from smokers. On average smokers have a much lower incidence of pre-eclampsia than the general population. Cigarette smoke is very high in carbon monoxide, so the researchers decided to see if it had any effect on the cells of the placenta.
In the lab placenta cells were subjected to carbon monoxide. They were then compared to non-subjected placental cells of the same age.
Those cells exposed to carbon monoxide had a 60 percent lower death rate than non-exposed cells.
Based on this evidence, the team is planning for further studies that look at the effects in animals, and if those prove as positive then human studies are sure to follow in the next 5-10 years.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on September 18, 2006 10:30 AM
