In recent years,
inert gases such as
helium,
argon, and
xenon have gained considerable attention for their medical value.
Noble gases present an intriguing scientific paradox: although extremely chemically inert, they display a remarkable spectrum of clinically useful
biological properties. Despite a relative paucity of knowledge about their mechanisms of action, some
noble gases have been used successfully in clinical practice. The neuroprotection elicited by these
noble gases has been investigated in experimental animal models of various types of
brain injuries, such as
traumatic brain injury,
stroke,
subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral ischemic/
reperfusion injury, and
neurodegenerative diseases. Collectively, these central nervous system
injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality every year worldwide. Treatment options are presently limited to
thrombolytic drugs and clot removal for
ischemic stroke, or therapeutic cooling for other
brain injuries before the application of noble gas. Currently, there is increasing interest in
noble gases as novel treatments for various
brain injuries. In recent years, neuroprotection elicited by particular
noble gases,
xenon, for example, has been reported under different conditions. In this article, we have reviewed the latest in vitro and in vivo experimental and clinical studies of the actions of
xenon,
argon, and
helium, and discuss their potential use as
neuroprotective agents.