The effects of chronic 17beta-estradiol on endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (ACh) and contraction to NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), and endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were examined on blood vessels from rats with chronic heart failure (CHF). Two groups of ovariectomized female (50-60 days) rats were implanted with pellets containing 17beta-estradiol (25 microg/day) or vehicle, and given ligation of the left main coronary artery 1 week later. Another group of ovariectomized rats was implanted with vehicle pellets, and sham-operated. After 7 weeks, thoracic aortic rings, pulmonary artery rings, and portal vein strips were prepared for in vitro studies. Relative to sham-operated rats treated with the vehicle, vessels from vehicle-treated, coronary-ligated rats had similar relaxation to ACh and SNP but reduced response to L-NAME that was significant (P<0.05) for the aorta and portal vein but not pulmonary artery. Treatment of ligated rats with 17beta-estradiol augmented responses to L-NAME in the aorta, pulmonary artery and portal vein to values above those in sham-operated rat. 17beta-Estradiol did not affect relaxation of any vessels to SNP and increased maximum relaxation to ACh only in the portal vein. Hence, 17beta-estradiol enhances the relaxant role of basal nitric oxide in CHF.