Óxido nítrico: una hormona o un regulador hormonal o un neurotransmisor o un neuromodulador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71112/qdhmne84Schlagwörter:
óxido nítrico, hormona, neurotransmisor, neuromodulador, homeostasisAbstract
El óxido nítrico (ON) es una molécula gaseosa simple, compuesta por un átomo de nitrógeno y uno de oxígeno, cuyo descubrimiento fisiológico valió el Premio Nobel de Medicina y Fisiología de 1998. Como radical libre altamente reactivo y difusible, el ON se sintetiza continuamente por vía enzimática (a partir de L-arginina mediante el óxido nítrico sintasas) y por vía no enzimática (reducción de nitratos de origen vegetal). Esta revisión narrativa examina la evidencia que respalda las múltiples funciones biológicas del ON, argumentando que la molécula actúa simultáneamente como hormona, regulador hormonal, neurotransmisor y neuromodulador. Se describen sus efectos sobre la circulación sanguínea, la inflamación, el metabolismo de la glucosa y los lípidos, el eje hipotálamo-hipofisario, la función articular, y la neurotransmisión y neuroplasticidad en el sistema nervioso central. Asimismo, se discuten las consecuencias patológicas de su desequilibrio (diabetes, resistencia a la insulina, osteoartritis, artritis reumatoide y enfermedades neurodegenerativas como Alzheimer y Parkinson) y se plantean hábitos de vida que estimulan su síntesis natural, dado que la producción de ON declina con la edad. El trabajo concluye proponiendo que la Endocrinología y la Neurología incorporen formalmente al ON dentro de sus respectivos marcos conceptuales, dada la amplitud e importancia de sus funciones fisiológicas.
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