Therapeutic uses of inorganic nitrite and nitrate: from the past to the future
Therapeutic uses of inorganic nitrite and nitrate: from the past to the future
Potential carcinogenic effects, blue baby syndrome, and occasional intoxications caused by nitrite, as well as the suspected health risks related to fertilizer overuse, contributed to the negative image that inorganic nitrite and nitrate have had for decades. Recent experimental studies related to the molecular interaction between nitrite and heme proteins in blood and tissues, the potential role of nitrite in hypoxic vasodilatation, and an unexpected protective action of nitrite against ischemia/reperfusion injury, however, paint a different picture and have led to a renewed interest in the physiological and pharmacological properties of nitrite and nitrate. The range of effects reported suggests that these simple oxyanions of nitrogen have a much richer profile of biological actions than hitherto assumed, and several efforts are currently underway to investigate possible beneficial effects in the clinical arena. We provide here a brief historical account of the medical uses of nitrite and nitrate over the centuries that may serve as a basis for a careful reassessment of the health implications of their exposure and intake and may inform investigations into their therapeutic potential in the future.
cardiovascular diseases, drugs, history of medicine, nitric oxide, pharmacology
2151-2159
Butler, Anthony R.
4e1c6bdd-2b66-44d8-9ff7-61466adf9dd3
Feelisch, Martin
8c1b9965-8614-4e85-b2c6-458a2e17eafd
22 April 2008
Butler, Anthony R.
4e1c6bdd-2b66-44d8-9ff7-61466adf9dd3
Feelisch, Martin
8c1b9965-8614-4e85-b2c6-458a2e17eafd
Abstract
Potential carcinogenic effects, blue baby syndrome, and occasional intoxications caused by nitrite, as well as the suspected health risks related to fertilizer overuse, contributed to the negative image that inorganic nitrite and nitrate have had for decades. Recent experimental studies related to the molecular interaction between nitrite and heme proteins in blood and tissues, the potential role of nitrite in hypoxic vasodilatation, and an unexpected protective action of nitrite against ischemia/reperfusion injury, however, paint a different picture and have led to a renewed interest in the physiological and pharmacological properties of nitrite and nitrate. The range of effects reported suggests that these simple oxyanions of nitrogen have a much richer profile of biological actions than hitherto assumed, and several efforts are currently underway to investigate possible beneficial effects in the clinical arena. We provide here a brief historical account of the medical uses of nitrite and nitrate over the centuries that may serve as a basis for a careful reassessment of the health implications of their exposure and intake and may inform investigations into their therapeutic potential in the future.
Text
2008_ButlerCIRCULATION-2007-753814-final-with corrected refs.pdf
- Other
More information
Published date: 22 April 2008
Keywords:
cardiovascular diseases, drugs, history of medicine, nitric oxide, pharmacology
Organisations:
Clinical & Experimental Sciences
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 337823
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/337823
ISSN: 0009-7322
PURE UUID: 5c011149-90be-432f-babf-fdf04f42dbb2
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 04 May 2012 08:55
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:41
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Anthony R. Butler
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
