Successful Administration of the NO Synthase Inhibitor 546C88 as a Delayed Continuous Infusion in a Baboon Model of Septic Shock

Nitric oxide (NO) as both a vasodilator and under certain circumstances a cyto-toxic molecule is suggested as one of the critical mediators of severe sepsis and septic shock. Whether NO is really a central molecule in sepsis and whether inhibition/scavenging has more beneficial or detrimental effects are, however, controversial questions with conflicting data. Many studies demonstrate either one or both effects; these have been thoroughly reviewed recently [1].