Nitroglycerin is a nitrate vasodilator used to treat or prevent angina, heart failure, hypertension, and anal fissures. Nitroglycerin, also known as glyceryl trinitrate, is an organic nitrate and a vasodilating agent that was first discovered in 1847.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 7 references
Nitroglycerin is converted by mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase in smooth muscle cells to nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator. NO activates the enzyme guanylate cyclase, which converts guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) in vascular smooth muscle and other tissues. cGMP is an endogenous vasodilator of vascular smooth muscle: it causes protein kinase-dependent phosphorylation and activates downstream cascades that promote relaxation and increased blood flow in veins, arteries and cardiac tissue. An in vitro study using mouse aorta suggests that nitric oxide, an active metabolite of nitroglycerin, targets the natriuretic peptide receptors.
- Primary indication
- Sublingual nitroglycerin is indicated for the acute relief of an attack or acute prophylaxis of angina pectoris due to coronary artery disease.Curator reviewed · 10 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C3H5N3O9 · 227.0865 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 1997 · United States, 1981
- Also known as
- Glycerin trinitrate · Glycerol trinitrate · Glyceryl trinitrate · Nitroglicerina · Nitroglycerine
- Code names
- DR 66 · IMX-150
- Brand names
Resolves to
SNIOPGDIGTZGOP-UHFFFAOYSA-NSMILES[O-][N+](=O)OCC(CO[N+]([O-])=O)O[N+]([O-])=OWhat you can answer from here — as of September 12, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Nitroglycerin, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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