Nitrite as a pharmacological intervention for the successful treatment of crush syndrome

Crush syndrome is characterized by ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). The protective effect of nitrite on experimentally induced IRI has been demonstrated in the heart, kidney, liver, and skeletal muscle. IRI in tissues and systemic organs occurs due to the massive generation of reactive oxygen species and subsequent systemic inflammation. Therefore, ischemic pre and postconditioning are performed in clinical practice. Intravenous administration of nitrite inhibits IRI through nitric oxide‐mediated mechanisms. In this paper, we discuss the utility of nitrite as a pharmacological postconditioning agent in the treatment of crush syndrome.