Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) radicals, endogenously produced from L-arginine or supplied by NO-releasing donors, are involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes. Although there has been rapid growth in NO research, cancer research still remains in its infancy. A few reports suggest that NO has some anticancer properties, yet others implicate NO in tumour promotion. This article will focus on the anticancer activity of NO donors that have been claimed in patents between 1998 and 2001.