Table 1.

Potency (pD₂) and maximum response (Rmax) obtained from concentration-response curves for acetylcholine before and after pretreatment with N^G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)

Groups	Condition	pD2	Rmax
C	- L-NAME	7.0 ± 0.0	99.0 ± 2.7
	+ L-NAME	5.5 ± 0.1*	70.0 ± 6.2**
DS	- L-NAME	7.2 ± 0.0	78.0 ± 1.8
	+ L-NAME	6.8 ± 0.1†	72.4 ± 3.1
DT	- L-NAME	7.0 ± 0.1	95.0 ± 3.5
	+ L-NAME	4.9 ± 0.2* #	50.0 ± 3.6* ##

The superior mesenteric artery rings were obtained from rats of the groups control (C), diabetic sedentary (DS), and diabetic trained (DT). The experiments were performed in the absence of L-NAME (- L-NAME) or presence of 100 μM of L-NAME (+ L-NAME). Data are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean. The statistical differences were determined by Student t test for independent samples (intragroup) or analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni post-test (intergroup).

^* p <0.001 or ^**p <0.01 for - L-NAME vs. + L-NAME values; ^† p<0.001 vs. C and ^# p<0.001 or ^## p<0.01 vs. DS.