Impairment of endothelium‐dependent relaxation in aortae from spontaneously diabetic rats

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Abstract
1 Diabetes mellitus is known to produce alterations in vascular reactivity. The present study examined the effects of endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxing substances on thoracic aorta from control and spontaneously diabetic rats. 2 Endothelium-dependent relaxation produced by acetylcholine or the calcium ionophore, A23817, in aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine was significantly attenuated in diabetic vessels. 3 Relaxations produced by sodium nitroprusside or adenosine in diabetic preparations were comparable to those in control vessels. 4 The results show that diabetes leads to a specific impairment of endothelial-dependent relaxation.