Nitrite Found to Have Function in Blood Vessels

A study has shown that a small ion in blood, nitrite, has an important function in blood vessels, which is to open them, thereby increasing the oxygen in the blood. The study was published in the November 2, 2003, online issue of Nature Medicine.

Also revealed in the study was a new function for the hemoglobin molecule. When hemoglobin releases its oxygen in regions of the body with low oxygen or high metabolism, it can then convert nitrite to nitric oxide, known to dilate blood vessels.
After the 18 healthy volunteers in the study were infused with sodium nitrite, their blood flow increased by 175%.

"We saw a huge improvement in blood flow,” said Dr. Mark Gladwin, senior investigator, critical care medicine, a department of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (Bethesda, MD, USA). "Nitrite helps get more blood to regions of the body with low oxygen, such as kidneys, the heart, the brain, and muscles. This has potential as a new therapy that was previously overlooked.”

However, Dr. Gladwin warned that at high concentrations, it can be toxic, and clinical trials, now in progress, are required to establish its clinical usefulness in various diseases. Nitrite is present not only in blood but also in leafy green vegetables and certain processed meat products.




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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center