Nitromedicine is a new medical treatment paradigm, focused on increasing nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and modulating redox-signaling pathways combined with phototherapy, electrotherapy and stem cell therapy. It has been known since the discovery of the biological role of NO in the 1980s, that supplying NO donors such can have many beneficial effects in different conditions by stimulating stem cells and modulating the immune response, but there also exists a substantial risk of side-effects with long-term use. Excess NO can inhibit mitochondrial metabolism by binding to cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) and can also produce reactive nitrogen species (Peroxynitrite) by interacting with reactive oxygen species (ROS). To avoid these potential damaging side-effects we propose to combine the use of NO donors with three additional components. Firstly we believe that addition of antioxidants such as hydrogen sulfide donors, polyphenols and vitamins can neutralize ROS and RNS. Secondly we believe that application of appropriate wavelengths and dosages of light (blue, red or near infrared depending on the exact condition being treated) will dissociate NO from CCO (and other storage sites) thus restoring mitochondrial ATP production and stimulating healing in many situations. Thirdly delivering electrons to the body might help to saturate the free radicals with electrons, eliminate underlying oxidative stress, stabilize mitochondria, prevent further formation of pathological free radicals and increase the nitric oxide bioavailability. This combination therapy may be applied to treat a large variety of oxidative stressed related diseases such as degenerative diseases, immunological diseases, chronic infectious diseases, cancers and a broad range of unmet medical needs involving chronic inflammation with an emphasis on pain management.

Date Published: 26 April 2016
PDF: 1 pages
Proc. SPIE 9695, Mechanisms of Photobiomodulation Therapy XI, 96950I (26 April 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2226027

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9695:
Mechanisms of Photobiomodulation Therapy XI
Michael R. Hamblin; James D. Carroll; Praveen Arany, Editor(s)