Raw research findings for this medication. Mostly single studies, not curated or confirmed robust.
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is an inhaled gas with pain-relieving and mildly anaesthetic effects, partly by blocking NMDA receptors. Mixed with oxygen (Entonox), it is used for pain relief in labour, in emergencies and in dentistry, and as part of general anaesthesia. It inactivates vitamin B12, which matters with repeated or heavy exposure.
Nitrous oxide is breathed out unchanged, but it oxidises vitamin B12 and so blocks methionine synthase, raising homocysteine. The gene studies on it looked at MTHFR, whose C677T variant also lowers folate metabolism, for larger rises in homocysteine after anaesthesia; a few rare severe cases in children with MTHFR deficiency have been reported. There is no CPIC or DPWG guideline.
Every published finding on gene variants and Nitrous Oxide. Upload your DNA file to see which of these rows apply to you.
PharmGKB weighs all studies of a variant and rates how strong the evidence is, from 1A (strongest) to 4.
MTHFR rs1801133: Level 3. Toxicity. 1.
MTHFR rs1801131: Level 3. Toxicity. 1.
Study findings and evidence levels: PharmGKB (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guidelines: CPIC and DPWG, as bundled in PharmCAT. Most studies were done mainly in people of European ancestry.
More drugs from the same category
Ethrane (Inhalational Anesthetics)
Forane (Inhalational Anesthetics)
Halothane (Inhalational Anesthetics)
Not a prescribing recommendation. This page is educational information about pharmacogenomic research and clinical guidelines - it is not medical or dosing advice, and not a prediction of how any medication will work for you. Never start, stop, or change a medication or dose based on it; talk to your doctor or pharmacist, who can order clinical-grade testing if appropriate.
Content updated September 2026.
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