Tri-Ox Compound

Tri-ox was a simple but effective intravenous medicine used for rapidly oxygenating the blood cells of a living being, especially in an oxygen-poor environment such as Vulcan. Most Humans and humanoids would otherwise have had trouble getting sufficient oxygen in such environments, especially during any strenuous work or other exertions. The drug could be used as a substitute for cumbersome breathing masks and equipment in such cases.

Tri-ox compound was designed to strengthen an individual's cardiopulmonary system. An injection of 15 ccs of tri-ox every four hours was the recommended dosage taken to compensate for excess carbon dioxide, as could be the case of a humanoid in prolonged exposure to a Class L environment. Without it, an individual would experience the effects of hypoxia and possibly carbon dioxide poisoning. (DS9: "The Sound of Her Voice")

Doctor Leonard McCoy feigned using tri-ox on Captain James T. Kirk in 2267 during a Vulcan combat ritual, and later used the drug on the captain after his space suit's air supply had nearly run out. Lieutenant Commander Tuvok used tri-ox on survivors of an orbital tether carriage in 2373. (TOS: "Amok Time", "The Tholian Web"; VOY: "Rise")

The exact mechanism by which tri-ox worked has not been stated on screen, but it could be inferred from the instances it has been used that it increased the blood cells' ability to bind and carry oxygen, rather than supplying additional oxygen on its own.