Disruption of the rat mesenteric arterial bed endothelial function by air perfusion

Abstract The impact of air perfusion on the endothelial function of the rat mesenteric arterial bed (MAB; perfused with Krebs' bicarbonate plus indomethacin) was compared to that of the NO synthase inhibitor, N ω -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Air shifted the dose-response curve for the alpha-adrenoceptor agonist, norepinephrine (NE) to the left (ED 50% : 2.9 ± 0.7 to 0.9 ± 0.7 μg, P 50% 1.4 ± 0.7 μg, P