This document discusses three common inhalants used medically: oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide. Oxygen is an odorless, colorless gas that is essential for respiration. It is stored in metal cylinders painted white and is used to support breathing during anesthesia, hypoxia, and other medical conditions. Carbon dioxide is also odorless and colorless. It is stored in grey cylinders and used to regulate blood acidity, stimulate breathing, and relieve hiccups. Dry ice containing carbon dioxide can also treat skin conditions. Nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas", is a weak anesthetic with strong analgesic properties. It is stored in blue cylinders and often used

1. BY
MR. AFROJ SHAIKH
M. PHARM

2. DEFINITION:-
• These are the drugs or chemicals which are in the
vapor form inhaled in the body.
• Some chemicals act as an anesthetic in vapor form.
• Inhalation of gases changes in physiologic function
& brings pharmacological action.
• Here the drugs or solutions of drugs are administered
by the nasal respiratory route for local or systemic
effect).
• Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are
commonly used inhalants.
Inhalants

3.  The action of inhalant depends upon the concentration
of the gases.
• Oxygen
• Carbon dioxide
• Nitrous Oxide

5. Oxygen
• Chemical formula :-O2
• Mol wt 32.00
• Oxygen is a diatomic gas (O2) and is widely
distributed element on earth.
• It is the major constituent of air and water besides,
• Oxygen in the free state constitutes 20.9% by volume
(nearly 23.1 % by weight) of the atmosphere. Nearly
88.81% by weight of water is oxygen.

6. Properties:-
 Color:-Colorless
 Odor:-Odorless
 Taste:-Tasteless
• It is slightly heavier than air with density 1.10532
(air = 1)
• It can be liquefied when cooled below -118.82°C
(its critical temperature i.e. temperature at or below which it
can be liquefied by pressure, but above which it can not be
liquefied regardless of the pressure applied.)

7. • Oxygen is a paramagnetic substance, a property
shown more strongly by the liquid and the solid
form (Paramagnetic substances are those that tend to move
into a strong magnetic field such as that between the poles
of a magnet.)
• Diamagnetic substances tend to move out of the
field.

8.  Store under compression in metal
cylinders of the type confirming to the
appropriate safety regulations.
 Valve should not be lubricated with oil or
grease. cylinders should be stored in a
special storage room which should be cool
and free from materials of an inflammable
nature.
 The shoulder of the metal cylinder is
painted white and the remainder is painted
black.
 The cylinder carries a label stating that gas
the name of the gas or the symbol "O2" is
stenciled in paint on the shoulder.
Storage Labeling & color

9. Uses:-
• Oxygen is essential for proper respiratory
functions and in normal course is inhaled from
the air,
• Used as inhalant for supporting respiration
during anesthesia, postoperative pulmonary
complications and in treatment of hypoxia,
anoxia, asphyxia, asthma, shock, poisoning,
edema, congestive heart failure,
• Some serious infections (e.g. pneumonia),
serious wounds and burns and medical
emergencies involving impaired respiration.
• Oxygen requirements in the body can be
conveniently classified into four major divisions
: (i) anoxic; (ii) anemic; (iii) stagnant; and (iv)
histotoxic Hypoxia.
• It is used as fuel in rocket technology.

10. • Chemical formula :-CO2
• Mol wt:- 44.01
• Properties:-
• Colour:-Colorless.
• Odour:-odorless.
• Taste:- Acidic Taste.
• It does not support combustion .
• However a Mg ribbon burnt in atmosphere of CO2
which get reduced to carbon & metal oxide.
• CO2 when passed in water forms Carbonic acid.
• H2O + CO2 H2CO3
• this on addition to NaOH forms Na2CO3.
Carbon dioxide

11. Storage labeling and color markings :-
Carbon dioxide for inhalation should be
stored in metal cylinders (designed to hold
compressed gases) at cool but not exceeding
temperature above 31.
The whole of the cylinder should be
painted grey and the name of the gas or the
chemical symbol “CO2" should be stenciled
in paint on the shoulder of the cylinder.
The name or chemical symbol should be
clearly and stamped on the cylinder valve.

12. USES:-
• Carbon dioxide when given orally as solution or
as carbonate or bicarbonate, promotes absorption
of liquids by the mucous membranes.
• For this reason aerated waters (carbonating
beverages) rapidly relieve thirst, hasten the
action of the alcohol, and soon cause diuresis.
C02 in stomach increases secretion of gastric
juice, especially HCI.
• Effervescing waters are useful for masking the
unpleasant taste of saline aperients.
• Most effervescent powder preparations contains'
NaHC03 and an acid, usually citric acid, which
react when the preparation is mixed with water.

13. • It is important for regulating the acid-base balance
of the blood and tissues.
• It is a direct natural stimulant of respiratory centre.
• A 5 to 7% mixture of C02 in oxygen, has been used
in the treatment of carbon monoxide, morphine,
hypnotics and other depressants poisoning, to
induce or improve respiration in newborn infants,
in drowning person, to accelerate excretion of
inhalation anesthetics by the lungs and so to reduce
the risk of bronchitis and vomiting.
• Carbon dioxide inhalation may relieve persistent
hiccup. It has been also suggested for detoxifying
heroin addicts without painful withdrawal
syndrome.

14. • The dry ice has been used in various skin
conditions e.g. acne, angiomas (a tumor made up of
blood and lymph vessel), corns & calluses, eczema,
moles, psoriasis, warts.

15. Nitrous Oxide
Chemical formula :-N20
Synonym :-Laughing Gas, Nitrogen Monoxide,
Molecular Weight:- 44.
Properties
 Colour:-colorless
 Oour:- odorless
 Taste :- Tasteless (It is also described as having a
slightly sweet odor and taste).
It is freely soluble in ether and oils. It liquefies under
50 atmosphere pressure at 15°C.

16. Storage, labelling and color markings :-
 It is stored under compression in metal cylinders
of the type conforming to the appropriate safety
regulations and at a temperature not exceeding
37°C.
 The cylinder is painted blue and carries a label
stating the name of the gas.
 In addition, the shoulder of the cylinder is
labelled with the name of the gas or the symbol
"N2O" stenciled in paint.

17. • It is the oldest and safest general anesthetic
known. It is a weak anesthetic but has strong
analgesic properties. It is non-irritant.
• Nitrous oxide is used extensively in dental and
obstetric practice (midwifery) for producing
both analgesia and light anesthesia.
• Nitrous oxide 50% with oxygen is usually
preferred and used for analgesia in obstetrics,
and to obtain rapid relief of pain from
myocardial infarction.
• It is often used in conjunction with local
anesthetics and muscle relaxants.
USES:-