Use of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors for the treatment of inflammatory disease and pain.

This article reviews the recent literature on selective inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) between 1999 and the first quarter of 2001. The introduction highlights the major therapeutic objectives for NOS inhibitors, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) and pain. The review attempts to cover the structural diversity of small molecule NOS inhibitors currently being explored in the pharmaceutical and academic communities.