Critical role of nitric oxide in impeding COVID-19 transmission and prevention: a promising possibility

Abstract

COVID-19 is a serious respiratory infection caused by a beta-coronavirus that is closely linked to SARS. Hypoxemia is a symptom of infection, which is accompanied by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Augmenting supplementary oxygen may not always improve oxygen saturation; reversing hypoxemia in COVID-19 necessitates sophisticated means to promote oxygen transfer from alveoli to blood. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) has been shown to inhibit the multiplication of the respiratory coronavirus, a property that distinguishes it from other vasodilators. These findings imply that NO may have a crucial role in the therapy of COVID-19, indicating research into optimal methods to restore pulmonary physiology. According to clinical and experimental data, NO is a selective vasodilator proven to restore oxygenation by helping to normalize shunts and ventilation/perfusion mismatches. This study examines the role of NO in COVID-19 in terms of its specific physiological and biochemical properties, as well as the possibility of using inhaled NO as a standard therapy. We have also discussed how NO could be used to prevent and cure COVID-19, in addition to the limitations of NO.