A method for producing a S-nitrosylated species is provided. The method
comprises: (a) providing a deoxygenated, alkaline aqueous solution
comprising a thiol and a nitrite-bearing species; (b) acidifying the
solution by adding acid to the solution while concurrently mixing the
solution (e.g., by vigorously stirring the solution) to produce the
S-nitrosylated species; and (c) isolating the S-nitrosylated species. The
nitrite-bearing species can be, for example, an inorganic nitrite, such
as an alkali metal nitrite, or an organic nitrite, such as an alkyl
nitrite (e.g., ethyl nitrite, amyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite or t-butyl
nitrite). The thiol is preferably a thiol-containing polysaccharide, a
thiol-containing lipoprotein, a thiol-containing amino acid or a
thiol-containing protein, and more preferably a thiol-containing
polysaccharide such as thiolated cyclodextrin. In many preferred
embodiments, the S-nitrosylated species is insoluble in the acidified
solution, precipitating upon formation. The S-nitrosylated species can be
isolated, for example, by a process in which the precipitate is removed
from the solution (e.g., by centrifugation) and the aqueous solvent
remaining in the precipitate is sublimated (e.g., by freezing the
precipitate and subjecting it to a vacuum). The isolated S-nitrosylated
product is preferably protected from heat, light, moisture and oxygen.
