1. This study examined the in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effects of diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a novel inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, on endothelium-dependent vasodilatations. 2. DPI (3 x 10(-8)-3 x 10(-6) M) concentration-dependently inhibited acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation in preconstricted rat thoracic aortic rings, with an IC50 of 1.8 x 10(-7) M and a maximal inhibition of nearly 100%. DPI (3 x 10(-6) M) also completely inhibited the relaxation induced by the calcium ionophore, A23187 but not by sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The inhibitory effect of DPI (3 x 10(-7) M) on ACh-induced relaxation was prevented by pretreatment with NADPH (5 x 10(-3) M) and FAD (5 x 10(-4) M) but not L-arginine (L-Arg, 2 x 10(-3) M). Pretreatment with NADPH did not alter the inhibitory effect of NG-nitro-L-arginine on ACh-induced relaxation. 3. The inhibitory effect of DPI on ACh-induced relaxation in the aortae lasted > 4 h after washout. In contrast to pretreatment, post-treatment (1 h later) with NADPH (5 x 10(-3) M) reversed only slightly the inhibitory effect of DPI. 4. In conscious rats, DPI (10(-5) mol kg-1) inhibited the depressor response to i.v. infused ACh, but not SNP. However, it caused only a transient pressor response which was previously shown to be due completely to sympathetic activation. 5. Thus, DPI is an efficacious and 'irreversible' inhibitor of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in vivo and in vitro. The mechanism of the inhibition may involve antagonism of the effects of FAD and NADPH, co-factors of NO synthase. However, unlike the N0-substituted arginine analogues (another class of NO synthase inhibitors), DPI-induced suppression of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in vivo does not lead to a sustained rise in blood pressure.