Explosive discovery, surprising future: The extraordinary journey of nitroglycerin, nitroderivatives and nitric oxide

For over 150 years, nitrates have been a cornerstone in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Nitroglycerin — synthesized by Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero in 1847 — was initially used in explosives, as the main component of dynamite, by Alfred Nobel. The Scottish physician Lauder Brunton first used amyl nitrite for angina in 1867, and in 1879 the English physician William Murrell described the benefits of nitroglycerin for angina pectoris. Organic nitrates, including nitroglycerin, act as nitric oxide donors, sharing the mechanism of NO release, which induces vasodilation. This paper reviews the fascinating history of nitroglycerin and nitroderivatives, the related discovery of nitric oxide as a cardiovascular signaling molecule, and the 1998 Nobel Prize awarded for this discovery. The paper also succinctly explores current and future roles of nitric oxide donors in cardiovascular treatment.