Overproduction of nitric oxide inhibits vascular reactivity in portal hypertensive rats

Table 1 Baseline values in rats with portal hypertension and sham-operated control rats

Parameter	Portal hypertension (n = 11)	Control (n = 8)
Body weight (g)	208 ± 17	201 ± 21
PVP (kPa)	1.644 ± 0.142b	1.034 ± 0.113
Serum Na+ (mmol/L)	135 ± 1b	141 ± 2
Serum K+ (mmol/L)	4.1 ± 0.2	4.3 ± 0.2
ALT (U/L)	147.6 ± 38.4	141.7 ± 53.3
Albumin (g/L)	16.43 ± 4.12	17.21 ± 3.84
A/G	0.64 ± 0.04	0.66 ± 0.08

^bP < 0.01 vs control.

Table 2 Serum levels of NO₂^- in rats with portal hypertension and sham-operated control rats (x ± s, ×10^-6 mol/L)

Group	n	Portal vein	Peripheral vein
PH	11	0.766 ± 0.097ac	0.687 ± 0.092a
Control	8	0.613 ± 0.084	0.591 ± 0.045

^aP < 0.05 vs control;

^cP < 0.05 vs peripheral vein blood.

Table 3 Physical characteristics of aortic rings from rats with portal hypertension and sham-operated control rats (x ± s)

Parameter	Portal hypertension	Control
ED (mm)	1.51 ± 0.04	1.49 ± 0.03
Length (mm)	3.09 ± 0.04	3.05 ± 0.07
Weight (mg)	1.59 ± 0.08	1.54 ± 0.08

ED: External diameter.

Table 4 Rmax and EC₅₀ values for KCl and phenylephrine in aortic rings from rats with portal hypertension and sham-operated control rats with and without L-NNA treatment (x ± s_x-)

Agent	EC50		Maximal contractions (g)
	Untreated	L-NNA	Untreated	L-NNA
KCl (mmol/L)
PH	26.5 ± 0.9ba	20.2 ± 0.8	0.72 ± 0.05ba	1.08 ± 0.1b
Control	22.3 ± 1.7a	19.4 ± 1.2	0.98 ± 0.05a	1.21 ± 0.11
PE (× 10-8 mol/L)
PH	3.72 ± 0.4ba	2.24 ± 0.18	1.04 ± 0.08ba	1.43 ± 0.14a
Control	2.81 ± 0.2b	2.18 ± 0.14	1.34 ± 0.39a	1.72 ± 0.11

^bP < 0.01 vs control;

^aP < 0.05 vs L-NNA.