title: Biochemical mechanism of organic nitrate action.
abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that organic nitrate action derives from their metabolic conversion to nitric oxide (NO) in the vascular smooth muscle cell. The primary catalytic activity of this process appears to reside at the cellular plasma membrane. There is no concrete evidence to indicate that NO formation is preceded by the production of inorganic nitrite ion or that the NO produced needs to form S-nitrosothiols before it can activate guanylate cyclase to produce cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP). Although sulfhydryl donors can partially reverse nitroglycerin-induced tolerance in patients, this phenomenon (by itself) is not sufficient to implicate intracellular sulfhydryl depletion as an operating mechanism of clinical nitrate tolerance. This is because sulfhydryl donors can react with nitroglycerin extracellularly to form S-nitrosothiols, and nonsulfhydryl compounds, such as enalapril and hydralazine, can prevent the development of in vivo nitrate tolerance. In addition to the cellular biochemical reactions, organic nitrates also produce systemic biochemical effects through altering neurohormonal status. These systemic effects may contribute significantly to the development of nitrate tolerance in therapeutic situations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, State University of New York, Buffalo 14260.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kowaluk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009569:Nitric Oxide