[Nitric oxide in gastroenterology]

Identification of so called endothelium derived relaxing factor, EDRF, as nitric oxide, ON, produced in situ in digestive tract, as well as in many other organs, offers the possibility of pharmacologic control blocking or stimulating its production in situ. Theoretically, conditions like achalasia, cell injury by endotoxins, altered visceral arterial flow, hyperdynamic circulatory state in decompensated cirrhosis, protein synthesis and glomerular filtration in ascites, will be amenable of better treatment. This gas is considered as labile humoral-like messenger, mediator or a regulator of cell function in a number of physiological are promising. By now most of the information available comes from animal studies.