Nitric oxide generation, tachyphylaxis and cross-tachyphylaxis from nitrovasodilators in vivo.

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) increments in exhaled air and changes in mean arterial pressure of anaesthetised rabbits were measured in order to study the NO generation from NO donors and tachyphylaxis in NO formation from nitroglycerin. Continuous infusions of isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide-5-mononitrate and 3-morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1) evoked dose-dependent increases in exhaled NO, paralleled by decrements in mean arterial pressure. Repeated infusions of nitroglycerin resulted in attenuation ( P P