Nitric oxide

Nitric oxide (nitrogen oxide, nitrogen monoxide) is a molecular, chemical compound with chemical formula of NO that is a colorless gas under standard conditions. Nitric oxide is a free radical—i.e., its bonding structure includes an unpaired electron—and it is in the class of heteronuclear diatomic molecules that are of historic theoretical interest (for the insights they gave in formulating early modern theories of bonding). It is a practically important intermediate in the chemical industry. In addition, some is unavoidably produced during combustion of fossil fuels in power plants and automobile engines, with excess being created when there is present more air, or higher temperatures, than needed for efficient and complete combustion of the fuel. It is also produced naturally by the extremely high air temperatures produced along the path of lightning in thunderstorms.

In mammals including humans, NO is an important cellular signaling molecule involved in many physiological and pathological processes. It is a powerful vasodilator with a short half-life of a few seconds in the blood. Long-known pharmaceuticals such as nitroglycerine and amyl nitrite were found to be precursors to nitric oxide more than a century after their first use in medicine. Low levels of nitric oxide production are important in protecting organs such as the liver from ischemic damage.

Nitric Oxide (journal)

Nitric Oxide is a peer-reviewed scientific journal and official journal of the Nitric Oxide Society. The journal covers the broad field of nitric oxide research and includes basic and clinical topics such as cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, pathology, genetics, physiology, pharmacology, and disease processes.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in EMBASE, EMBiology, and Scopus. According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal has a 2011 impact factor of 3.548.

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