Potential Benefits of Peroxynitrite.

Peroxynitrite (PN) is generated by the reaction of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide in one of the most rapid reactions in biology. Studies have reported that PN is a cytotoxic molecule that contributes to vascular injury in a number of disease states. However, it has become apparent that PN has beneficial effects including vasodilation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, inhibition of inflammatory cell adhesion, and protection against ischemia/reperfusion injury in the heart. It is our hypothesis that PN may serve to inactivate superoxide and prolong the actions of NO in the circulation. This manuscript reviews the beneficial effects of PN in the cardiovascular system.