Endogenous anesthetic
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Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an abundant gas produced as the final product of glucose metabolism in animals. CO2 anesthesia is most frequently used for anesthetizing flies. [3] But it has also been considered as a fast acting anesthetic in small laboratory animals and in humans.[4][5]
In the 1900s, CO2 anesthesia, known as CO2 therapy was used by psychiatrists for the treatment of anxiety. The patients would receive 70% CO2 in combination with 30% oxygen causing rapid and reversible loss of continuousness.[6]
Ammonia
Ammonia has also been shown to have anesthetic properties.[7] It is released during protein catabolism, and its presence reduced the requirement for inhaled anesthetics. Whether the endogenous release of the ammonia is contributing to an anesthetic effect in vivo has not yet been established.