Nitric oxide and asthma: a review.

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from the amino acid arginine by enzymes called nitric oxide synthases. NO has an important physiologic role in the regulation of vascular tone, response to vascular injury, and hemostasis. It also acts as a neurotransmitter for the nonadrenergic noncholinergic nerves and has important antimicrobial, immunologic, and proinflammatory activities.