title: The non specificity of specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitors.
abstract: L-NAME (Nw-Nitro-L-arginine methylester) and L-NMMA (NG- Monomethyl-L-arginine, monoacetate) are used widely as nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitors. Because of their functional groups (alcohols, amines and carboxylates), it appeared that they could interact with iron in a variety of systems. Using three in vitro models we observed these two compounds had inhibitory effects on cytochrome C reduction by ferrous iron, by ferrous iron accelerated by an unsaturated fatty acid or by epinephrine. This suggests that L-NAME and L-NMMA could have effects in iron containing systems found intracellularly apart from their inhibition of (NO) synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Archer
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Weir
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D004837:Epinephrine