Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
08:23
Chemiluminescence-based Assays for Detection of Nitric Oxide and its Derivatives from Autoxidation and Nitrosated Compounds
Published on: February 16, 2022
Ethanol metabolism and effects: nitric oxide and its interaction
Xin-Sheng Deng1, Richard A Deitrich
1University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Fitzsimons, Department of Pharmacology, Alcohol Research Center, Aurora, CO 80045-6508, USA. Xin-sheng.deng@uchsc.edu
Current Clinical Pharmacology
|August 12, 2008
Summary
Ethanol (EtOH) consumption impacts nitric oxide (NO) production and signaling pathways. Understanding this interaction is crucial for comprehending EtOH
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
Background:
- Ethanol (EtOH) is widely consumed, and its metabolism involves oxidation.
- Nitric oxide (NO) is a critical endogenous signaling molecule in mammals.
- The interplay between EtOH and NO influences various physiological processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the complex interactions between ethanol and nitric oxide.
- To elucidate how EtOH affects NO production and its related enzymes.
- To discuss the implications of EtOH-NO interactions in different biological contexts.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on EtOH and NO.
- Analysis of EtOH's effects on inducible (iNOS), endothelial (eNOS), and neuronal (nNOS) nitric oxide synthase activities.
- Examination of EtOH-NO interaction products and their metabolic significance.
Main Results:
- EtOH's effect on NO production varies with dose, duration, and cell type.
- Low EtOH doses can increase NO release and endothelial function, while higher doses impair it.
- EtOH influences NOS activity, potentially affecting cell function, metabolism, and EtOH-induced pathologies.
Conclusions:
- Ethanol and nitric oxide exhibit significant interactions with broad physiological consequences.
- These interactions involve modulation of NOS activity, NO signaling, and metabolic pathways.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms underlying EtOH-NO interactions and their health implications.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway
Nitric oxide (NO), an inorganic gas, acts as a potent second messenger in most animal and plant tissues. NO diffuses out of the cells that produce it and enters the neighboring cells to generate a downstream response. NO synthase (NOS) catalyzes NO production by the deamination of the amino acid arginine. There are three isoforms of NOS. Endothelial cells have endothelial NOS (eNOS), nerve and muscle cells have neuronal NOS (nNOS), and macrophages produce inducible NOS (iNOS) upon exposure to...
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
01:19Nitrosation of Enols
The nitrosation reaction is one of the methods of preparing 1,2-diketones. The enol tautomer of the starting ketone reacts with sodium nitrite in hydrochloric acid, generating the 1,2-diketone after hydrolysis.
01:202° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO2
Secondary amines react with nitrous acid to form N-nitrosamines, as depicted in Figure 1. Nitrous acid, a weak and unstable acid, is formed in situ from an aqueous solution of sodium nitrite and strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, in cold conditions. In the presence of an acid, the nitrous acid gets protonated. The subsequent loss of water results in the formation of the electrophile known as nitrosonium ion.
01:20Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
01:15Phase I Reactions: Oxidation of Carbon-Heteroatom and Miscellaneous Systems
Oxidative reactions are pivotal in metabolizing numerous compounds, including pharmaceutical drugs. These reactions often occur in carbon-heteroatom systems, such as carbon-nitrogen, carbon-sulfur, and carbon-oxygen.
In carbon-nitrogen systems, aliphatic and aromatic amines can undergo oxidative reactions. Secondary and tertiary amines, like those found in tricyclic antidepressants, can undergo N-dealkylation, a process that involves the oxidation of the alkyl group. In addition, oxidative...
In carbon-nitrogen systems, aliphatic and aromatic amines can undergo oxidative reactions. Secondary and tertiary amines, like those found in tricyclic antidepressants, can undergo N-dealkylation, a process that involves the oxidation of the alkyl group. In addition, oxidative...