It is estimated that 10% of carbon throughout the cosmos is in the form of carbon monoxide (CO) [1]. Earth’s earliest prebiotic atmosphere included the trinity of gasotransmitters CO, nitric oxide (NO), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), for which all of life has co-evolved with [2]. Speculation for extraterrestrial life in harsh environments is similarly based on harnessing atmospheric CO as a primary energy source [3]. The history of CO can be loosely traced to mythological and prehistoric origins with fundamental understanding emerging in the middle ages. Ancient literature is focused on CO’s deadly toxicity which is understandable in the context of our primitive relationship with coal and fire. Scientific inquiry into CO appears to have emerged throughout the 1700s followed by chemical and toxicological profiling throughout the 1800s. Despite CO’s ghastly reputation, several of the 18^th and 19^th century scientists suggested a therapeutic application of CO. Since 2000, the fundamental understanding of CO as a deadly nuisance has undergone a paradigm shift such that CO is now recognized as a neurotransmitter and viable pharmaceutical candidate. This review is intended to provide a brief history on the trace origins pertaining to endogenous formation and therapeutic application of CO.

据估计，整个宇宙中 10% 的碳以一氧化碳 (CO) 的形式存在 [1]。地球最早的生命前大气包括气体传输体 CO、一氧化氮 (NO) 和硫化氢 (H ₂S)，为此，所有生命都与 [2] 共同进化。对恶劣环境中外星生命的推测同样基于利用大气 CO 作为主要能源 [3]。CO 的历史可以粗略地追溯到神话和史前起源，基本理解出现在中世纪。古代文献关注二氧化碳的致命毒性，这在我们与煤和火的原始关系的背景下是可以理解的。整个 1700 年代似乎出现了对 CO 的科学调查，随后是整个 1800 年代的化学和毒理学分析。尽管CO的可怕名声，几个18^日和19^日世纪科学家提出了 CO 的治疗应用。自 2000 年以来，对 CO 作为致命滋扰的基本理解经历了范式转变，因此 CO 现在被认为是神经递质和可行的候选药物。本综述旨在简要介绍与 CO 的内源性形成和治疗应用有关的痕量来源。