Nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or nitrous, is a chemical compound, an oxide of nitrogen with the formula . At room temperature, it is a colourless non-flammable gas, with a slight metallic scent and taste. At elevated temperatures, nitrous oxide is a powerful oxidizer similar to molecular oxygen. It is soluble in water. Nitrous oxide has significant medical uses, especially in surgery and dentistry, for its anaesthetic and pain reducing effects. Its name "laughing gas", coined by Humphry Davy, is due to the euphoric effects upon inhaling it, a property that has led to its recreational
Nitrous oxide system, and this may be related to its analgesic and anxiolytic properties. Nitrous oxide is 30-40 times more soluble than nitrogen. The effects of inhaling sub-anaesthetic doses of Nitrous Oxide have been known to vary, based on several factors, including settings and individual differences, however, from his discussion, Jay (2008) suggests that it has been reliably known to induce the following states and sensations: A minority of users also will present with uncontrolled vocalisations and muscular spasms. These effects generally disappear minutes after removal of the nitrous oxide source. In rats, stimulates the mesolimbic reward pathway via inducing dopamine release