Nitric Oxide: A Brief Overview of Chemical and Physical Properties Relevant to Therapeutic Applications

Figures & data

Figure 1.  The preponderant covalent reactions of •NO and progeny under biological conditions.

Reactions not balanced chemically. (A) should be very minor except at very high (•NO), but could be more important in specific microenvironments; product may not be ‘authentic’ •NO₂. (B) Mechanism(s) unknown; probably second most preponderant biological •NO reaction (behind O₂Hb reaction).

Figure 2.  Possible mechanisms for formation of N₂O₃ by reaction of nitrite with deoxyhemoglobin.

Two mechanisms are denoted by ‘A’ and ‘B,’ although both may occur at appreciable rates.