AIM: To determine whether vasorelaxation induced by cAMP is dependent on eNOS activation.METHODS: A constant perfusion model of rabbit femoral artery was used to observe the changes of perfusion pressure before and after intra-arterial infusing different concentrations of dbcAMP(a membrane-permeable cAMP analogue) or forskolin(a direct stimulator of adenyl cyclase) and the effects of NOS inhibitor L-NAME on their actions.RESULTS: Both dbcAMP and forskolin induced concentration-dependent relaxation of rabbit femoral artery bed and NOS inhibitor L-NAME partly inhibited this vasorelaxation.CONCLUSION: Vasorelaxation induced by cAMP is mediated partly through eNOS activation.