Bacterial endotoxin rapidly stimulates prolonged endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in the isolated perfused rat heart

The effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (Escherichia coli 0111-B4; LPS) on coronary vascular tone were examined in the isolated perfused rat heart. The role of nitric oxide and/or prostaglandin products of the cyclooxygenase pathway in mediating the actions of LPS were also investigated.