Abstract: Pharmaceutically pure physiologically active N.sup.G -aminoarginine (i.e., the L or D,L form) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered in a nitric oxide synthesis inhibiting amount to a subject in need of such inhibition (e.g. a subject with low blood pressure or needing immunosuppressive effect) or is added to a medium containing isolated organs, intact cells, cell homogenates or tissue homogenates in an amount sufficient to inhibit nitric oxide formation to elucide or control the biosynthesis, metabolism or physiological role of nitric oxide.N.sup.G -amino-L-arginine is prepared and isolated as a pharmaceutically pure compound by reducing N.sup.G -nitro-L-arginine, converting L-arginine by-product to L-ornithine with arginase and separating N.sup.G -amino-L-arginine from the L-ornithine. N.sup.G -amino-D,L-arginine is prepared in similar fashion starting with N.sup.G -nitro-D,L-arginine.

Abstract: Physiologically active N.sup.6 -(hydrazinoiminomethyl)lysine or pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof is administered in a nitric oxide sythesis inhibiting amount to a subject in need of such inhibition (e.g., a subject with low blood pressure, e.g., due to sepsis or to therapeutic administration of cytokines, or needing immunosuppressive effect) or is added to a medium containing isolated organs, intact cells, cell homogenates or tissue homogenates in an amount sufficient to inhibit nitric oxide formation to elucide or control the biosynthesis, metabolism or physiological role of nitric oxide. Compared to known nitric oxide synthesis inhibitors, N.sup.6 -(hydrazinoiminomethyl)lysine and its acid addition salts show a greater relative activity toward inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase than toward constitutive isoform of nitric oxide synthase. N.sup.6 -(hydrazinoiminomethyl)lysine and its pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts are substantially less toxic than are N.sup.

Abstract: In the esterification of glutathione with alcohol in the presence of acid catalyst, neutral glutathione monoester is isolated in high yields without the intermedite isolation of ester acid salt by treating the reaction mixture with base anion exchange resin (basic form) to neutralize the acid and bind the resulting acid anion and unesterified glutatione. Dehydrating agent is used to drive the reaction toward esterification. In the production of glutathione monester acid salts a soluble dehydrating agent is advantageously used.

Abstract: Pharmaceutically pure physiologically active N.sup.G -aminoarginine (i.e., the L or D,L form) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered in a nitric oxide synthesis inhibiting amount to a subject in need of such inhibition (e.g. a subject with low blood pressure or needing immunosuppressive effect) or is added to a medium containing isolated organs, intact cells, cell homogenates or tissue homogenates in an amount sufficient to inhibit nitric oxide formation to elucide or control the biosynthesis, metabolism or physiological role of nitric oxide.N.sup.G -amino-L-arginine is prepared and isolated as a pharmaceutically pure compound by reducing N.sup.G -nitro-L-arginine, converting L-arginine by-product to L-ornithine with arginase and separating N.sup.G -amino-L-arginine from the L-ornithine. N.sup.G -amino-D,L-arginine is prepared in similar fashion starting with N.sup.G -nitro-D,L-arginine.

Abstract: A method for prophylaxis of treatment of an animal for systemic hypotension induced by internal nitrogen oxide production. The method involves administering a therapeutically effective amount of certain arginine derivatives to inhibit nitrogen oxide formation from arginine. Preferaby N.sup.G -substituted arginine or an N.sup.G,N.sup.G -disubstituted arginine (having at least one hydrogen on a terminal guanidino amino group replaced by another atomic species) is administered to an animal possibly developing or already having induced systemic hypotension. The arginine derivatives are preferably of the L configuration and include pharmaceutically acceptable addition salts. Prophylaxis or treatment or systemic hypotension in a patient which has been induced by chemotherapeutic treatment with biologic response modifiers such as tumor necrosis factor or interleukin-2 may be accomplished. Treatment of an animal for systemic hypotension induced by endotoxin, i.e.

Abstract: Novel diacylglycerophosphoric acid esters include a hydrophobic diacyl glycerol portion to provide water insolubility and a head group which forms a chromophore or a chromophore precursor when the head group is enzymatically released and are chromogenic substrates useful to assay for enzymes catalyzing the cleavage of phosphate ester or phosphoanhydride bonds adjacent or opposite to the phosphatidic acid region of a phospholipid molecule.

Abstract: Acylated aminocarnitines have utility as competitive inhibitors of carnitine acyl transferases and the unacylated compounds have utility as intermediates for making the acylated compounds.