1. Nitric oxide (NO) has complex effects on the sympathoadrenal and cardiovascular systems and may act at both central and peripheral loci. Nitric oxide appears to act directly on blood vessels and indirectly by modulating the sympathoadrenal system. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of catecholamine release from peripheral vascular and adrenal sympathetic nerves to the cardiovascular effects of the NO synthesis inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 10 mg/kg). Our experiments were performed in pithed vagotomized rats to remove the influence of central and baroreflex pathways. 2. Spinal cord stimulations for 30 s periods at 1, 2, 5 and 10 Hz using pulses of 1 msec at 10 V caused marked increases in plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline. N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester did not alter resting plasma catecholamine concentrations. However, L-NAME generally more than doubled stimulation-evoked release of adrenaline while reducing the extent of noradrenaline release relative to vehicle (saline)-treated controls. 3. N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester significantly enhanced the vasopressor responses to spinal cord stimulation. The alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (0.2 mg/kg) reduced the pressor responses of electrically stimulated L-NAME-treated rats to levels below those of vehicle-treated control rats. 4. In the absence of electrical stimulation, L-NAME raised the blood pressure of pithed rats without altering plasma catecholamines and the pressor effect was briefly attenuated by L-arginine, but was unaffected by prazosin. 5. We conclude that the augmented pressor response to sympathetic stimulation in L-NAME-treated pithed rats is due largely to enhanced adrenal adrenaline release mediated by a peripheral mechanism. Stimulation of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors plays a major role in the pressor response to electrical stimulation of L-NAME-treated rats, but this is not due to L-NAME augmentation of noradrenaline release from vascular sympathetic nerves.