Nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease is the most common condition associated with ethanol consumption and includes three forms of injury with gradually increasing severity: hepatic steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. The complex pathogenesis of this disease includes endothelial dysfunction which comprises as central factor nitric oxide. Synthesis of nitric oxide by the three types of nitric oxide synthases is modulated by many factors with pathogenic and potentially therapeutic implications in alcoholic liver disease.