What are the functions of nitric oxide?

Many people must have heard of nitric oxide. They also know that nitric oxide is a toxic gas that is colorless and odorless. Although it is a toxic gas, it has uses in many aspects. It can be said that it has a wide range of uses and the effects it brings are also different. For example, it can be used in production processes and to make semiconductors. So besides these functions, does it have other functions? Next, I will introduce to you the role of nitric oxide.

1. Production process

Nitric oxide can also be used in the nitration production process. It can add to olefins to form dinitroso compounds, which can be oxidized to nitro compounds, or rearranged to oximes and then oxidized to nitro compounds.

2. Making semiconductors

In the production of semiconductor devices, nitric oxide can be used as a plasma gas.

3. Role in the immune system

Research results show that NO can be produced in a variety of cells in the human body. For example, when endotoxins or T cells in the body activate macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, they can produce a large amount of inducible NOS and superoxide anion free radicals, thereby synthesizing a large amount of NO and H2O2, which play a very important role in killing invading bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms and tumor cells, organic foreign matter, and in inflammatory damage [6]. It is currently believed that NO released by activated macrophages can kill target cells by inhibiting the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the target cell mitochondria, electron transfer, and cell DNA synthesis.

The NO produced by the immune response also has toxic effects on adjacent tissues and cells capable of producing NOS. Certain local or systemic tissue damage related to the immune system, abnormal expansion and permeability of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, etc. may be closely related to the local content of NO.

4. Mechanism of action of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Nitric oxide is a nitrogen compound with the chemical formula NO, a molecular weight of 30, and a nitrogen valence of +2. Because nitric oxide contains free radicals, it is chemically very active. It has paramagnetic properties. When it reacts with oxygen, it forms nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a corrosive gas. Nitric oxide is a colorless gas under standard conditions, and blue in liquid and solid states. The mechanism of action of nitric oxide in improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular functions.

5. Configurations of various oxygen-nitrogen compounds

There are two types of nitric oxide production: enzymatic nitric oxide and non-enzymatic nitric oxide.

Non-enzymatic production through donors such as clinical drugs such as nitroglycerin and sodium nitroprusside. Enzyme production requires the participation of enzymes and precursor substances. This enzyme is called nitric oxide synthase (NOS). There are three types of such enzymes in the human body, namely endothelial nitric oxide synthase, which is distributed in vascular endothelial cells; neural nitric oxide synthase, which is distributed in human neuronal cells; and the last one is called inducible nitric oxide synthase, which is distributed in human immune cells such as lymphocytes and T cells.