The Open Pharmacology Journal

2008, 2 : 31-53
Published online 2008 June 3. DOI: 10.2174/1874143600802010031
Publisher ID: TOPHARMJ-2-31

Potential Benefits of Peroxynitrite

Bobby D. Nossaman and Philip J. Kadowitz
Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University Medical Center, 1430 Tulane Avenue SL83, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112-2699, USA.

ABSTRACT

Peroxynitrite (PN) is generated by the reaction of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide in one of the most rapid reactions in biology. Studies have reported that PN is a cytotoxic molecule that contributes to vascular injury in a number of disease states. However, it has become apparent that PN has beneficial effects including vasodilation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, inhibition of inflammatory cell adhesion, and protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury in the heart. It is our hypothesis that PN may serve to inactivate superoxide and prolong the actions of NO in the circulation. This manuscript reviews the beneficial effects of PN in the cardiovascular system.

Keywords:

Nitric oxide/*metabolism, nitric oxide synthase/metabolism/physiology, peroxynitrous acid/metabolism.