（—）Epicatechin induces and modulates endotheliumdependent relaxation in isolated rat mesenteric arte

AIM:The present study was aimed to examine the role of endothelial nitric oxide in the relaxant response to green tea (-)epicatechin and its modulation of endothelium-mediated relaxation in the isolated rat mesenteric artery rings.METHODS:Changes in the isometric tension were measured with Grass force-displacement transducers.RESULTS:The (-)epicatechin-induced relaxation was largely dependent on the presence of intact endothelium and was reversed by N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester 10μmol/L or methylene blue 10μmol/L，the inhibitors of nitric oxidemediated relaxation.L-Arginine at 1mmol/L antagonized the effect of L-NAME or methylene blue.Pretreatment of endothelium-intact rings with (-)epicatechin 10μmol/L enhanced the relaxation induced by endothelium-dependent vasodilator,acetylcholine,while this concentration did not influence the endothelium-independent relaxation induced by sodium nitroprusside in the endothelium-denuded artery rings.CONCLUSION:The results indicate that the endothelium-dependent vasodilation by (-)epicatechin is mainly mediated through nitric oxide and low concentration of (-)epicatechin augments endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in the rat mesenteric arteries.

完成机构：[1]DepartmentofBiochemistry,ChineseUniversityofHongKong,China [2]DepartmentofPhysiology,ChineseUniversityofHongKong,China