Drugs modulating the biological effects of peroxynitrite and related nitrogen species

Abstract

The term "reactive nitrogen species" includes nitrogen monoxide, commonly called nitric oxide, and some other remarkable chemical entities (peroxynitrite, nitrosoperoxycarbonate, etc.) formed mostly from nitrogen monoxide itself in biological environments. Regardless of the specific mechanisms implicated in their effects, however, it is clear that an integrated pharmacological approach to peroxynitrite and related species is only just beginning to take shape. The array of affected chemical and pathological processes is extremely broad. One of the most conspicuous mechanisms observed thus far has been the scavenging of the peroxynitrite anion by molecules endowed with antioxidant activity. This discovery has in turn lent great significance to several naturally occurring and synthetic antioxidants, which usually protect not only against oxidative reactions, but also from nitrating ones, both in vitro and in vivo. This has proven to be beneficial in different tissues, especially within the central nervous system. Taking these results and those of other biochemical investigations into account, many research lines are currently in progress to establish the true potential of reactive nitrogen species deactivators in the therapy of neurological diseases, ischemia-reperfusion damage, renal failure, and lung injury, among others.

Fine Tuning the Reactivity of Corrole-Based Catalytic Antioxidants

“…The ability to prevent nitration of vital proteins and enzymes is one of the most desirable features required for potent catalytic antioxidants . In this context, it is important to note that the main biomarker for involvement of PN is nitration of aromatic amino acids. − In particular, excessive amounts of nitrotyrosine relative to healthy cells/tissues/organs are the first sign for a role of PN in numerous diseases. , On the basis of the above, the ability of complexes 1 – 5 to attenuate tyrosine nitration by PN was examined. Fixed concentrations of freshly prepared PN were added to 0.8 mM tyrosine solutions, with and without 50 μM of the complexes 1 – 5 , and incubated for 15 min at 37 °C.…”

Importance of phenols structure on their activity as antinitrosating agents: A kinetic study

“…[12] The reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which comprise of nitric oxide, dinitrogen trioxide, nitrite, nitroxyl and nitrosonium ions, and nitrous acid, are interconnected through a series of reactions that can be admitted to start either with the generation of NO from arginine by nitric oxide synthase or with the transformation of nitrite ions into nitrous acid in the acidic environment of the stomach. [13] It was recently proven that dinitrogen trioxide has a biological relevance, as it originates not only from the reaction of nitric oxide with oxygen, but can also be formed by the reaction of nitric oxide with a superoxide. [4]…”