Therapeutic application of nitric oxide in human diseases

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO), synthesized from L-arginine by three isoforms of NO synthase (NOS), is a gaseous signaling molecule with an astonishingly wide range of biological and pathophysiological activities, including vasorelaxation, angiogenesis, anti-inflammation, and anti-apoptosis in mammalian cells. Recent studies have shown that NO donors and inhaled NO convert to biologically active NO under biological conditions and act as a signaling molecule in pathophysiological conditions. This review will discuss the roles of NO and its potential therapeutic implication in various human diseases, such as tumor, vascular regeneration, hypertension, wound healing, and ischemia-reperfusion injury.