Spacefill model of nitric oxide (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The arginine-nitric oxide (NO) pathway plays an important role in hypertension. NO is important in maintaining tone and allowing relaxation of blood vessels. The production of NO from arginine is controlled by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). It has been demonstrated that a mild elevation in blood pressure causes an increase in NO, while a mild reduction in blood pressure results in a reduction of NO production.
NO production is elevated in hypertensive people compared with people with normal blood pressure. The enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is responsible for conversion of arginine to NO. Treatment with arginine for kidney dysfunction has been shown to be beneficial, and untreated diabetic rats given arginine had less proteinuria.
CONCLUSION: The arginine-NO pathway plays an important role in control of hypertension, renal disease, inflammation, and atherosclerosis.
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PMID: 11369823.
Summary #706.
