International Journal of Pharmacology1811-77751812-5700Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/ijp.2011.31.39KocharNitin I.ChandewalAnil V.BakalRavindra L.KocharPriya N.1201171Nitric oxide is one of the smallest molecules in nature. Many mammalian cells can synthesize nitric oxide. It modulates immune function, blood vessel dilatation and neurotransmission. It is synthesized from arginine in a two-step enzyme reaction by Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) via the formation of the intermediate N-hydroxy-L-arginine. Over the last years numerous studies have been carried out and the important role of Nitric Oxide (NO) as endogenous modulator of numerous physiological functions has been shown. Still some areas are ill defined and lacking studies related to the exact role of such intriguing molecule. Gastrointestinal tract is one of the areas where the role of nitric oxide is scarcely studied and results are controversial. In the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) NO participates in the modulation of the smooth musculature tone, such as the regulation of intestinal peristalsis, gastric emptying and antral motor activity. It also regulates acid and gastric mucus secretion, alkaline production and is involved in the maintenance of mucosal blood flow. In physiological conditions, NO acts as an endogenous mediator modulating both, the repairing and integrity of the tissues and demonstrate gastroprotective properties against different types of aggressive agents. However, high concentrations of NO are related to numerous pathological processes of GIT. This review article brief out the findings of the studies demonstrating role of NO in various physiological and pathological conditions of gastrointestinal tract.]]>Albina, J.E., S. Cui, R.B. Mateo and J.S. Reichner,199715050805085Allescher, H.D., M. Kurjak, A. Huber, P. Trudrung and V. Schusdziarra,1996271568574Ancha, H., H. Ojeas, D. Tedesco, A. Ward and R.F. Harty,2003110107113Banick, P.D., Q.P. Chen, Y.A. Xu and S.R. Thom,19971721224Baraona, E., L. Shoichet, K. Navder and C.S. Lieber,20027029872995Berg, A., S. Redeen, A.C. Ericson and S.E. Sjostrand,200441620Beubler, E. and A. Schirgi-Degen,1997326223228Brasitus, T.A., M. Field and D.V. Kimberg,1976231275282Brittain, T., R. Blackmore, C. Greenwood and A.J. Thomson,1992209793802Brown, J.F., A.C. Keates, P.J. Hanson and B.J. Whittle,1993265418422Brown, J.F., B.L. Tepperman, P.J. Hanson, B.J. Whittle and S. Moncada,1992184680685Brzozowski, T., S.J. Konturek, Z. Sliwowski, D. Drozdowicz, M. Zaczek and D. Kedra,199732442452Bult, H., G.E. Boeckxstaens, P.A. Pelckmans, F.H. Jordeans, Y.M. van Maercke and A.G. Herman,1990345346347Casellas, F., M. Mourelle, M. Papo, F. Guarner, M. Antolin, J.R. Armengol and J.R. Malagelada,199638719723Clancy, R., S.B. Abramson, C. Kohne and J.J. Rediske,1997172183188Clem, R.J., E.H. Cheng, C.L. Karp, D.G. Kirsch and K. Ueno et al.,199895554559Davenpeck, K.L., T.W. Gauthier and A.K. Lefer,199410710501058De Meyer, G.R., M.M. Kockx, M.W. Knaapen, W. Martinet, D.M. De Cleen, H. Bult and A.G. Herman,200341970978Duncan, C., H. Dougall, P. Johnston, S. Green and R. Brogan et al.,19951546551Elliott, S.N. and J.L. Wallace,199833792803Esplugues, J.V., M.A. Martinez-Cuesta, B.D. Barrachina, S. Calatayud and B.J. Whittle,199494549Fiorucci, S., E. Antonelli, L. Santucci, O. Morelli and M. Miglietti et al.,199911610891106Gaginella, T.S., N. Mascolo, A.A. Izzo, G. Autore and F. Capasso,199427012391245Goretski, J., O.C. Zafiriou and T.C. Hollocher,19902651153511538Greenblatt, E.P., A.L. Loeb and D.E. Longnecker,199321235240Grossmann, J., S. Mohr, E.G. Lapetina, C. Fiocchi and A.D. Levine,199827411171124Hirsch, D.P., R.H. Holloway, G.N.J. Tytgat and G.E.E. Boeckxstaens,199811513741380Hogaboam, C.M., A.D. Befus and J.L. Wallace,199315137673774Hortelano, S., B. Dallaporta, N. Zamzami, T. Hirsch and S.A. Susi et al.,1997410373377Hsu, Y.T., K.G. Wolter and R.J. Youle,1997L during apoptosis.]]>9436683672Izzo, A.A., T.S. Gaginella, N. Mascolo and F. Capasso,1994113228232Izzo, A.A., N. Mascolo and F. Capasso,19984316051620Izzo, A.A., L. Sautebin, L. Rombola and F. Capasso,19973239397Jadeski, L.C., K.O. Hum, C. Chakraborty and P.K. Lala,2000863039Jaiswal, M., N.F. LaRusso, R.A. Shapiro, T.R. Billiar and G.J. Gores,2001120190199Jurgensmeier, J.M., Z. Xie, Q. Deveraux, L. Ellerby, D. Bredesen and J.C. Reed,19989549975002King, B.N., M.C. Stoner, S.M. Haque and J.M. Kellum,200449196201Kiraly, A., G. Suto and Y. Tache,1993240299301Kluck, R.M., E. Bossy-Wetzel, D.R. Green and D.D. Newmeyer,199727511321136Kochar, N.I. and S.N. Umathe,20094665672Konturek, S.J., T. Brzozowski, J. Majka, J. Pytko-Polonczyk and J. Stachura,1993239215217Kroemer, G., N. Zamzami and S.A. Susin,1997184451Kwiecien, S., T. Brzozowski, P.C. Konturek and S.J. Konturek,200253761773Larsson, L.T., Z. Shen, E. Ekblad, F. Sundler, P. Alm and K.E. Andersson,1995204953Levine, A.J.,199788323331Li, Y., H.Y. Wang and C.H. Cho,1999290789796Li, Y., W.P. Wang, H.Y. Wang and C.H. Cho,2000399205214Lippe, I.T. and P. Holzer,1992105708714Lundberg, J.O., M. Herulf, M. Olesen, J. Bohr and C. Tysk et al.,199727869871Ma, L., J.Y.C. Chow and C.H. Cho,199939238248Macedo, M.P. and W.W. Lautt,1997272507514Mascolo, N., A.A. Izzo, F. Barbato and F. Capasso,1993108861864Mashimo, H. and R.K. Goyal,1999277745750Mashini, E., D. Salvemini, A. Pistelli, P.F. Mannaioni and J.R. Vane,1991336163McCafferty, D.M., J.S. Mudgett, M.G. Swain and P. Kubes,199711210221027McKnight, G.M., L.M. Smith, R.S. Drummond, C.W. Duncan, M. Golden and N. Benjamin,199740211214Mearin, F., M. Mourelle, F. Guarner, A. Salas, V. Riveros-Moreno, S. Moncada and J.R. Malagelada,199323724728Meulemans, A.L. and J.A. Schuurkes,1993311723Moncada, S. and E.A. Higgs,1995913191330Moncada, S. and A. Higgs,199332920022012Mourelle, M., F. Casellas, F. Guarner, A. Salas, V. Riveros-Moreno, S. Moncada and J.R. Malagelada,199510914971502Nagase, S., K. Takemura, A. Ueda, A. Hirayama, K. Aoyagi, M. Kondoh and A. Koyama,1997233150153Ozturk, H., M. Aldemir, A.I. Dokucu, Y. Yagmur, N. Kilinc and A.H. Sahin,200319305308Packer, M.A., J.L. Scarlett, S.W. Martin and M.P. Murphy,199725909914Parker, W.A. and G.L. MacKinnon,198115806807Pawlik, W.W., P. Gustaw, E.D. Jacobson, R. Sendur and K. Czarnobilski,1995429301305Perner, A., L. Andresen, M. Normark, B. Fischer-Hansen, J. Rask-Madsen, J. Eugen-Olsend and J. Rask-Madsena,200149387394Premaratne, S., C. Xue, J.M. McCarty, M. Zai and R.W. McCuen et al.,2001280308313Qiu, B., C. Pothoulakis, I. Castagliuolo, Z. Nikulasson and J.T. LaMont,1996111409418Radomski, M.W., D.C. Jenkins, L. Holmes and S. Monkada,19915160736078Rao, C.V., T. Kawamori, R. Hamid and B.S. Reddy,199920641644Russo, A., R. Fraser, K. Adachi, M. Horowitz and G. Boeckxstaens,1999447276Salomone, S., A. Caruso, V.M. Cutuli, N.G. Mangano and A. Prato et al.,200324117122Salvemini, D., E. Masini, E. Amggard, P.F. Mannaioni and J. Vane,1990169596601Salzman, A.L.,199533345Schaffer, M.R., P.A. Efron, F.J. Thornton, K. Klinge, S.S. Gross and A. Barbul,199715823752381Schouten, W.R., J.W. Briel, M.O. Boerma, J.J. Auwerda, E.B. Wilms and B.H. Graatsma,199639465469Slivka, A., R. Chuttani, D.L. Carr-Locke, L. Kobzik, D.S. Bredt, J. Loscalzo and J.S. Stamler,19949417921798Stark, M.E. and J.H. Szurszewski,199210319281949Sugita, H., T. Ueno, T. Shimosegawa and T. Yoshimura,200337159169Tamai, H. and T.S. Gaginella,199319229239Tsuchiya, S., S. Horie and K. Watanabe,200289126132Umathe, S.N., N.I. Kochar, N.S. Jain and P.V. Dixit,200920129133Vanderwinden, J.M., P. Mailleux, S.N. Schiffmann, J.J. Vanderhaeghen and M.H. De-Laet,1992327511515West, S.D., K.S. Helmer, L.K. Chang, Y. Cui, G.H. Greeley and D.W. Mercer,2002284399410Whittle, B.J., J. Lopez-Belmont and S. Moncada,199099607611Whittle, B.J.,19941994pp: 267-294pp: 267-294Wilson, K.T., A.B. Vaandrager, J. De-Vente, M.W. Musch, H.R. De-Jonge and E.B. Chang,1996270832840Wink, D.A., J.A. Cook, S.Y. Kim, Y. Vodovotz and R. Pacelli et al.,19972721114711151