Modulation of Vasodilator Response via the Nitric Oxide Pathway after Acute Methyl Mercury Chloride Exposure in Rats

Table 2

Effect of methyl mercury chloride treatment of rats on maximum response (𝑅_max) and sensitivity (pD2) to acetylcholine, isoproterenol, and sodium nitroprusside in endothelium-denuded aortic rings.

	ACh		SNP		IP
	𝑅max	pD2	𝑅max	pD2	𝑅max	pD2
Untreated	2.1±1.3	6.1±0.3	80.5±3.5	8.1±0.1	27.5±2.8	7.9±0.4
Methyl mercury chloride treated	3.3±1.9	6.1±0.02	80.5±2.9	8.1±0.2	27.5±1.6	7.9±0.7

Results are expressed as % of the previous contraction to phenylephrine and pD2 is expressed as −log one half.