title: L-Arginine: rediscovery in progress.
abstract: Since the recognition that L-arginine (LA) is the natural metabolic donor of nitric oxide, this amino acid has reached the medical spotlight. LA exerts favorable effects in the prevention and treatment of endothelial damage and the restoration of endothelial function in patients with cardiovascular risk factors (hypercholesterolemia, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and advanced age) or with several chronic cardiovascular disorders (coronary, peripheral and cerebral vascular disease, and mild-to-moderate heart failure). LA administration is likely to represent a potentially novel therapeutic strategy during angioplasty, coronary bypass grafting and cardiac transplantation. More conclusive research findings for the rediscovered role of this well-known substance merit close attention.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Rehabilitation Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tenenbaum
authors.forename: E Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Fisman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase