Nitric oxide (NO), an important molecule involved in neurotransmission, vascular
homeostasis, immune regulation, and host defense, is generated from a guanido nitrogen of
L-arginine by the family of NO synthase enzymes. Large amounts of NO produced for
relatively long periods of time (days to weeks) by inducible NO synthase in macrophages
and vascular endothelial cells after challenge with lipopolysaccharide or cytokines (such as
interferons, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1), are cytotoxic for various pathogenes …