Nitric Oxide
In 1998 the Nobel prize in physiology was jointly awarded to three scientists, Robert F. Furchgott, Louis J. Ignarro, and Ferid Murad, for their discovery of nitric oxide (NO) as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. The importance of NO’s discovery can not be understated. What had been, prior to its discovery in the human body, considered an environmental pollutant is now known to be one of the most important molecules in the human body. In his speech at the Nobel Prize Ceremony, Professor Sten Lindahl had this to say about the discovery: “Your discoveries concerning nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system, have not only explained the working principle of an old important group of drugs, the nitrovasodilators, it has also opened new avenues for patient treatment and diagnoses of various diseases. Your discoveries have lifted medical research into a new era.”
What is it?
NO is a highly reactive gas that is naturally produced in the human body. It affects various physiological functions including circulation, inflammation, learning and memory, digestion, penile erection, and oxygen release in tissues from red blood cells. It is produced in the body through the conversion of L-arginine (an amino acid) by NO synthase. The process of aging decreases the bodies ability to produce nitric oxide and as a result, many people are lacking in nitric oxide production. Lower production of Nitric Oxide that results from age is responsible for many ailments faced in modern society.
What does it do?
NO has a variety of physiological roles in the body, but its most important role is in the relaxation of the smooth muscles in the artery (vasodilation). The opening of arteries allows for an increase of blood flow around the body. This increases the efficiency at which nutrients and molecules can travel to sites of importance. Lower level of NO in the body as a result of age are responsible for a variety of different diseases including: atherosclerosis, peripheral artery disease, stroke, hair loss, erectile dysfunction, diabetes, and pain.
Clinton K.
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