Nitric oxide and pain : ‘Something old, something new’

Challenges have emerged following the revival of nitric oxide (NO) from “something old”, a simple gas derived from nitrogen and oxygen with a role in the early stages of evolution, into “something new”, an endogenously formed biological mediator regulating a wide variety of physiological functions. Although pain is a common sensation, it encompasses multiple neurobiologic components of which NO is only one. In pain research, the study of NO is complicated by convoluted problems related mostly to the effects of NO, which are pro- or antinociceptive depending on the circumstances. This dual function reflects the multi-faceted roles of the NO molecule described in physiology. This review covers current information about NO and its implications in pain mechanisms. In addition, it follows the pain pathways, demonstrating the role of NO in peripheral nociceptive transmission as well in central sensitization. This knowledge may provide the scientific basis for developing new drugs that are indicated for different types of pain, drugs that may be related to the chemical links of NO. A comprehensive approach to understanding the effects of NO will help clinicians identify novel agents that combine the pharmacological profile of native drugs with a controllable manner of NO release. Inhibitors of NO synthesis may have analgesic effects and would be of interest for treating inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Unfortunately, only a few of these compounds have reached the stage of clinical pain trials