The reduction of arterial tension produced by stevioside is dependent on nitric oxide synthase activity when the endothelium is intact.

In endothelium-intact rat aortic ring preparations pre-contracted with norepinephrine or KCl, NG-nitro L-arginine (L-NOARG, 0.1 mM) and 1H-[1,2,4] oxidiazolo [4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 10 microM) antagonized the reduction of the vascular tone induced by stevioside, but this antagonism did not occur when the experiment was performed with endothelium-denuded aortic rings. The data indicates that the vasodilatation produced by stevioside is dependent on nitric oxide synthase and guanylate cyclase activities when the endothelium is not damaged.