Nitric oxide is a reactive gas with multiple important physiological and pathophysiological effects in the human body. Beside the accepted fact that NO is identical with endothelium derived relaxing factor, which mediates the acetylcholine induced relaxation of blood vessel wall, important roles of NO in the functional modulation of endocrine glands, and in the outbreak and progress of experimental diabetes in rats have been proved. The article summarises the current knowledge about the action of NO in some endocrine glands with respect to the possibility of treatment by means of NO-synthase inhibitors administration.

3 interní klinika 1 lékarské fakulty Univerzity Karlovy Praha