A C-nitroso compound having a molecular weight ranging from about 225 to about
1,000 (from about 225 to about 600 for oral administration) on a monomeric basis
wherein a nitroso group is attached to a tertiary carbon, which is obtained by
nitrosylation of a carbon acid having a pKa less than about 25, is useful as an
NO donor. In another case, the C-nitroso compound contains the moiety
where X is S, O or NR. One embodiment is directed to COX-2 inhibitors where
a tertiary carbon atom and/or an oxygen atom and/or a sulfur atom is nitrosylated.
