Molecular Sponge Clears Carbon Monoxide from Blood in Minutes
2025-08-14
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have engineered a protein, RcoM-HBD-CCC, that acts like a molecular sponge, rapidly clearing carbon monoxide (CO) from the bloodstream. Unlike the current slow treatment with pure oxygen, this new therapy effectively removes CO in minutes, significantly reducing long-term health risks. In mouse models, it cleared half the CO in under a minute without affecting blood pressure. This breakthrough offers new hope for CO poisoning treatment, potentially becoming a rapid, effective emergency antidote, even usable in the field by first responders.