Molecular Design and Medicinal Applications of Nano-Nitric Oxide Delivery Systems

Nitric oxide (NO) regulates numerous biological processes that are important in the maintenance of homeostatic balance in the human body. Due to its innate biological significance, much effort has been vested to exploit NO as a pharmaceutical agent in recent years. The key to fully harness NO’s therapeutic potential will require the innovative integration of the NO releasing molecules (NORMs) with cytocompatible nano-scale carriers so that controlled spatiotemporal delivery of NO to targeted diseases sites can be attained. In this review paper, we summarize the fundamental chemistries underpinning the molecular design of the NO donors and critically assess the recent advancements of nano-NO delivery systems for advanced biomedical applications.