Therapeutic gas delivery via microbubbles and liposomes.

Gaseous molecules including nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and oxygen mediate numerous cell signaling pathways and have important physiological roles. Several noble gasses have been shown to elicit biological responses. These bioactive gasses hold great therapeutic potential, however, their controlled delivery remains a significant challenge. Recently, researchers have begun using microbubbles and liposomes to encapsulate such gasses for parenteral delivery. The resultant particles are acoustically active, and ultrasound can be used to stimulate and/or image gas release in a targeted region. This review provides a summary of recent advances in therapeutic gas delivery using microbubbles and liposomes.