Cristina Căpușă*
*Dr. Cristina Căpușă, medic primar, asistent universitar, Clinica de Medicină Internă și Nefrologie – Spitalul Clinic de Nefrologie “Dr. Carol Davila”, București
Abstract
L-arginine/nitric oxide system in therapy
The discovery of nitric oxide’s role as a signaling molcule was a major advance that opened a large field of knowlegde and debate in physiology and pathophysiology. It was for the first time when a simple diatomic gas molecule showed such diversity of effects on a multitude of organs and systems. The molecule’s duality of actions (protectoc/ citotoxic) on the same tissue presents a major challenge for therapeutic development. Nitrates are already used to treat angine, and clinical trials on drugs that either deliver more nitric oxide to the appropiate sites or inhibit nitric oxide formation where it is in excess already showed considerable promise. Hence, our better understanding pf the involvement of nitric oxide in psysiological processes and disease pathogenesis seems to otter the potential for changes in many aspects of ttherapeutics. The aim of this review was to ptovide a brief survey on the potential L’arginine/nitric oxide pathway-regulating therapies which find application in many medical specialisties, including renal diseases.