Synthesis of nitric oxide in patients with viral hepatitis]

The end products of nitric oxide (NO) metabolism in human organism, i.e. anions, nitrites (NO2) and nitrates (NO3), are excreted predominantly (95%) via urine. The quantity of these products in urine is an adequate index of NO synthesis in human organism. We measured the quantities of of NO2 and NO3 excreted during of monoviral hepatitis A, B, C, D and in the course of mixed viral hepatic infections, which were caused by the above mentioned viruses. The hyperexcretion of NO2 and NO3 was higher and longer during hepatitis C and D versus hepatitis B, and during the latter versus hepatitis A. The inability of NO to stop the infection may be caused by low sensitivity of the viruses to NO and/or by local low concentration of NO in the site of inflammation.