Title:Inhibitors of Nitric Oxide Synthase: What's up and What's Next?
Volume: 12
Issue: 1
Author(s): Lakshmikirupa Sundaresan, Suvendu Giri and Suvro Chatterjee
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Nitric Oxide (NO), Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS), Nitric Oxide Synthase inhibitors, NOS oxidase domain, NOS
reductase domain.
Abstract: NO is a key signaling molecule that has a wide range of biological functions including
vasodilation and neurotransmission, and is implicated in several pathological conditions. Therefore,
modulation of NO is a desired step in curbing the NO-associated disease processes. Targetting NOS
proteins and inhibiting their activity to reduce NO production is a major approach since the inception
of NOS inhibitor research. Although a series of NOS inhibitors have been developed, synthesized and
practiced in experimental biology, no NOS inhibitor has been approved as yet a drug for therapeutic
uses. The present review elaborates the scope of the clinical uses of NOS inhibitors and the inherent
limitations of the process that makes the approach less successful so far in clinic.
