Abstract

 

Nitric oxide (NO) is a vasodilator agent derived from vascular endothelium. It has been thought that decreased production of nitric oxide plays an important role in the pathogenesis of preclampsia. In this study, plasma nitric oxide metabolites, nitrate and nitrite levels were investigated among preclamptic pregnants and their newborn infants, and compared with control groups. Plasma samples were collected from 14 preclamptic pregnant women and 14 control pregnants besides cord blood of the newborn infants in both groups. Kinetic cadmium method was used as assay method for NO metabolites.

In results, only in preclamptic pregnants, nitrate levels (49.01 + 8.65 umol/L, mean±SD) were significantly higher than control (41.86+8.57 umol/L)(p