The effect of endothelin-1 on the phosphoinositide pathway was studied in slices of atria and mesenteric artery from normotensive and hypertensive (DOCA-salt) rats. Endothelin-1 induced a dose-dependent increase in inositol monophosphate production in both groups, but the reactivity of the phosphoinositide pathway was enhanced in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. Endothelin-1 was more potent than noradrenaline and activation by these two agonists combined was additive. The phosphoinositide activation induced by endothelin-1 was independent of extracellular calcium, and was not prevented by nifedipine treatment or by removing calcium from the incubation medium. Endothelin-1 is a potent direct activator of the phosphoinositide pathway in cardiovascular tissues, and this effect is potentiated in DOCA-salt hypertension.