Local regulator adrenomedullin contributes to the circulatory disturbance in cirrhotic rats

Table 3 Contractile response of control and cirrhotic aortic rings to adrenomedullin and/or NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester

	Control		Liver cirrhosis
	Rmax (mg/mg tissue)	EC50 (nmol/L)	Rmax (mg/mg tissue)	EC50 (nmol/L)
Vehicle	1860 ± 152	68.8 ± 9.4	998 ± 96a	85.7 ± 11.8
AM	1330 ± 118a	82.7 ± 12.3	698 ± 94c	91.0 ± 12.8
L-NAME	2362 ± 182a	61.8 ± 7.1	2274 ± 148c	72.1 ± 6.7
L-NAME+AM	2242 ± 91a	55.7 ± 9.5	2092 ± 219c	53.8 ± 6.2

The contraction of aortic rings to phenylephrine was evaluated in the presence of vehicle or anti-AM antibody. Values are presented as mean ± SE of 8 rings. Rmax: maximal contraction to phenylephrine, EC⁵⁰: phenylephrine concentration required for 50% of Rmax, ^aP < 0.05 vs vehicle-treated control aorta, ^cP < 0.05 vs vehicle-treated cirrhotic aorta. AM, adrenomedullin; L-NAME, N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester.