Nitric oxide-donating materials and their potential in pharmacological applications for site-specific nitric oxide delivery

Future Med Chem. 2009 Nov;1(8):1497-507. doi: 10.4155/fmc.09.111.

Abstract

The discovery of various regulatory, protective and deleterious effects of nitric oxide (NO) has prompted intense research activity in the design and synthesis of NO-donating drugs and materials that can be used to modulate the effective concentrations of NO at biological targets. To date, various NO-donating compounds have been incorporated or immobilized in biocompatible polymer matrices and such materials have been used as patches, wound dressings, coatings on blood-contacting medical devices and time-release NO drugs. Recently, attention has been drawn toward light-sensitive NO donors, such as S-nitrosothiols and metal nitrosyls, which can deliver NO at selected targets under the total control of light. The pharmacological potential of such NO-donating materials including those with immobilized photoactive NO donors are reviewed in this article.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide / pharmacology
  • Nitric Oxide / therapeutic use
  • Nitric Oxide Donors / administration & dosage*
  • Nitric Oxide Donors / chemistry
  • Nitric Oxide Donors / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Donors / pharmacology
  • Photochemistry
  • S-Nitrosothiols / chemistry
  • Skin Diseases / drug therapy
  • Wound Healing / drug effects

Substances

  • Nitric Oxide Donors
  • S-Nitrosothiols
  • Nitric Oxide