title: Nitric Oxide. V. therapeutic potential of nitric oxide donors and inhibitors.
abstract: Nitric oxide is a crucial mediator of gastrointestinal mucosal defense, but, paradoxically, it also contributes to mucosal injury in several situations. Inhibitors of nitric oxide synthesis and compounds that release nitric oxide have been useful pharmacological tools for evaluating the role of nitric oxide in gastrointestinal physiology and pathophysiology. Newer inhibitors with selectivity for one of the isoforms of nitric oxide synthase are even more powerful tools and may have utility as therapeutic agents. Also, agents that can scavenge nitric oxide or peroxynitrite are promising as drugs to prevent nitric oxide-associated tissue injury. Compounds that release nitric oxide in small amounts over a prolonged period of time may also be very useful for prevention of gastrointestinal injury associated with shock and with the use of drugs that have ulcerogenic effects. Indeed, the coupling of a nitric oxide-releasing moiety to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has proven to be a valid means of substantially reducing the gastrointestinal toxicity of these drugs without decreasing their efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Muscará
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D009566:Nitrates; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C039642:peroxynitric acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase