title: Using hydrogen sulfide to design and develop drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenous gasotransmitter, involved in the regulation of several biological functions. Conversely, impaired biosynthesis of H2S is associated with important diseases. This paves the way for exciting pharmacological perspectives for drugs acting on the 'H2S system'.
  
  
  METHODS
  At the beginning of this manuscript, the authors present the biological roles and mechanisms of action of hydrogen sulfide. The authors then discuss the developments in the modulation of the H2S system via heterogeneous molecules, which behave as sources of exogenous H2S, and are promising drugs for a number of diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of H2S generation, the physicochemical characteristics and the bioavailability greatly affect the overall pharmacological profile of each H2S-releasing compound. Therefore, the development of broad collections of original moieties endowed with heterogeneous rates/mechanisms of H2S release and a variety of physicochemical, biological and pharmacological features is the most timely and compelling issue in the field of H2S-based drug discovery.
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Calderone
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Testai
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Citi
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Farmacia , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Breschi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015195:Drug Design; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010600:Pharmacology
chemical_list: D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide
keywords: Gasotransmitters; H2S donors; H2S-releasing drug discovery; Hydrogen sulfide