Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 7, Issue 10, 2001

Over the last years the important role of nitric oxide (NO) as endogenous modulator of numerous physiological functions has been shown. NO is involved in the regulation of blood flow, maintenance of vascular tone, control of platelet aggregation, and modulation of the activity of the mastocytes. It also plays a key role as neurotransmitter in the central and peripheric nervous system (non adrenergic non colinergic, NA Read More

In human beings, melatonin is secreted in a cyclic way by the pineal gland, although it has been detected in other tissues. Synthesis of melatonin takes place in the pinealocyte. It depends on adrenergic stimulation, and its secretion is related to the photoperiod in a circadian model of low activity during light phase and high activity at night time Former studies aimed to establish the mechanisms by which melatonin carries Read More

Olive oil, the main fatty component of the Mediterranean diet, is characterized by consisting of monounsaturated fatty acids as well as by its elevated content in antioxidant agents. This oil exhibits numerous biological functions which are beneficial for the state of health. A diet rich in monounsaturated fatty acids provides an adequate fluidity to the biological membranes, diminishing the hazard of dants present in olive Read More

NSAIDs represent one of the most commonly used therapeutic drug groups worldwide. 1.5percent of the world population is estimated as taking NSAIDs. However, their use is not risk free and gastrointestinal (GI) lesions do appear, which is indeed the main reason for their toxicity. Frequently (50percent) NSAID-induced GI-Lesions are asymptomatic, 71percent of GI perforations and 50percent of upper gastric hemorrhages (U Read More