Once underestimated, Nitric Oxide (NO) is now recognized as a crucial molecule in maintaining vascular health, supporting brain function, and modulating systemic diseases. Since its Nobel Prize-winning discovery in 1998, NO has re-emerged as both a robust biomarker and a therapeutic target, particularly within cardiovascular and lifestyle medicine. This article explores the exclusively plant-based origins of NO precursors. It highlights how Bethsaida Hospital, Indonesia, under the leadership of Professor Dasaad Mulijono (DM), has pioneered the clinical use of salivary NO strip testing for nearly seven years. To our knowledge, Bethsaida is the first medical centre in Southeast Asia to adopt this simple, non-invasive method for monitoring NO levels in a clinical setting. Salivary NO testing has provided an objective, point-of-care tool to assess dietary adherence, making it a key component of Bethsaida’s strategy in lifestyle-based disease reversal. This approach has demonstrated measurable success, with patients showing a reversal of atherosclerosis, reduced restenosis rates following Drug- Coated Balloon (DCB) angioplasty, and remission of chronic diseases such as hypertension, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), and hyperlipidaemia-all conditions associated with elevated NO levels. We critically examine the limitations of commercial NO supplements and the disruptive effects of commonly prescribed medications on endogenous NO pathways. In contrast, a Plant-Based Diet (PBD) has proven to be a superior and sustainable means of boosting NO production. Bethsaida’s model offers a reproducible, scalable, and clinically effective framework for addressing the global chronic disease epidemic. It is grounded in evidence, innovation, and a commitment to root-cause solutions.
Dasaad Mulijono (Fri,) studied this question.