Potencies and efficacies of the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine and the endothelium-independent vasodilator nitroglycerin in rat aorta.

aPotency is –log EC50 and EC50 is the concentration that induces half-maximal relaxation with respect to the maximal relaxation achieved with the highest concentration of the vasodilator used. Efficacy is defined as maximal relaxation obtained with the highest concentration of the vasodilator used. The data are the means ± SEM of the indicated number of animals/group.*, p#, p§, pPotencies and efficacies of the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine and the endothelium-independent vasodilator nitroglycerin in rat aorta.