Hydrogen sulfide prodrugs—a review

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is recognized as one of three gasotransmitters together with nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). As a signaling molecule, H2S plays an important role in physiology and shows great potential in pharmaceutical applications. Along this line, there is a need for the development of H2S prodrugs for various reasons. In this review, we summarize different H2S prodrugs, their chemical properties, and some of their potential therapeutic applications.

Keywords

• Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)
• Gasotransmitters
• H2S prodrugs
• H2S-hybrid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Controllable H2S prodrugs
• Hydrolysis-based H2S prodrugs