Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors: a review of patents from 2011 to the present.
BACKGROUND
Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) are a family of enzymes that play an essential role in synthesizing nitric oxide (NO) by oxidizing l-arginine. As previously reported, NO is a significant mediator in cellular signaling pathways. It serves as a crucial regulator in insulin secretion, vascular tone, peristalsis, angiogenesis, neural development and inflammation. Due to its important role, the inhibition of these vital enzymes provides, as tools, the opportunity to gain an insight into potential therapeutic applications targeting NOSs.


METHODS
This paper reviews the patent literature between 2011 and mid-2014 that specified inhibitors of NOS family members as the significant targets. Google and Baidu search engines were used to find relevant patents and clinical information using NOSs or NOS inhibitor as search terms.


CONCLUSIONS
Considerable recent progress has been made in the development of NOS inhibitors with pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and such development is likely to continue. The patented compounds attenuated mostly embodying evidence from in vitro and in vivo trials that demonstrate good potential for future clinical human trials and industrial applications. Furthermore, new techniques such as X-ray ligand crystallographic study and structure-activity relationship were popularly utilized, which give new insights for developing novel, safe, efficient and selective NOS inhibitors.
Institute for Translational Medicine, College of Medicine, Qingdao University , Qingdao 266021 , China.
Yanyan
Y
Yang
Tao
T
Yu
Yu-Ji
YJ
Lian
Rujun
R
Ma
Sungjae
S
Yang
Jae Youl
JY
Cho
D000818:Animals; D015195:Drug Design; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010330:Patents as Topic; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase
efficacy and selectivity; inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitors; inflammation; neurodegenerative disorders; nitric oxide synthase