Figure 2

Relaxation responses induced by MEPY in endothelium-intact rat aortic rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE, 1 μM) in the presence or absence (control) of N _ω -Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester ( l -NAME, 10 μM), methylene blue (MB, 10 μM), or 1-H- [1,2,4] -oxadiazolo-[4,3-α]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 10 μM) in Krebs-Henseleit solution. The relaxant effects of MEPY on isolated rat aortic rings were calculated as a percentage of the contraction in response to PE. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 6–8). ^* P < 0.05, ^** P < 0.01 vs. control.