A new class of NO-donor phenol derivatives is described. The products were obtained by joining appropriate phenols with either nitrooxy or 3-phenylsulfonylfuroxan-4-yloxy moieties. All the compounds proved to inhibit the ferrous salt/ascorbate induced lipidic peroxidation of membrane lipids of rat hepatocytes. They were also capable of dilating rat aorta strips precontracted with phenylephrine. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.