title: Enhancing vascular relaxing effects of nitric oxide-donor ruthenium complexes.
abstract: Ruthenium-derived complexes have emerged as new nitric oxide (NO) donors that may help circumvent the NO deficiency that impairs vasodilation. NO in vessels can be produced by the endothelial cells and/or released by NO donors. NO interacts with soluble guanylyl-cyclase to produce cGMP to activate the kinase-G pathway. As a result, conductance arteries, veins and resistance arteries dilate, whereas the cytosolic Ca(2+) levels in the smooth muscle cells decrease. NO also reacts with oxygen or the superoxide anion, to generate reactive oxygen species that modulate NO-induced vasodilation. In this article, we focus on NO production by NO synthase and discuss the vascular changes taking place during hypertension originating from endothelial dysfunction. We will describe how the NO released from ruthenium-derived complexes enhances the vascular effects arising from failed NO generation or lack of NO bioavailability. In addition, how ruthenium-derived NO donors induce the hypotensive effect by vasodilation is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics & Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, 14.040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paulo
authors.forename: Tamy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Banin
authors.forename: Fernanda A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: Lusiane M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bendhack
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D056831:Coordination Complexes; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012428:Ruthenium