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The attenuated nitric oxide (NO) formation and/or elevated production of reactive oxygen species are often found in experimental and human hypertension. We aimed to determine possible effects of N-acetylcysteine (1.5 g/kg/day) and N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (melatonin, 10 mg/kg/day) in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with established hypertension. After a six-week-treatment, blood pressure was measured and NO synthase (NOS) activity, concentration of conjugated dienes, protein expression of endothelial NOS, inducible NOS and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the left ventricle were determined. Both treatments improved the NO pathway by means of enhanced NOS activity and reduced reactive oxygen species level as indicated by decreased conjugated diene concentrations and lowered NF-κB expression. N-acetylcysteine (but not melatonin) also increased the endothelial NOS protein …