The bioassay technique was utilized to quantitate endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) released from perfused donor segments of control and diabetic rat aorta. In the presence of indomethacin, perfusates of donor segments with endothelium were allowed to superfuse recipient detector rings of normal rat aorta without endothelium. Under basal conditions, relaxations of the bioassay rings to perfusates of control and diabetic donor segments were similar. Perfusion of donor segments with acetylcholine produced relaxation of bioassay rings, which was decreased from endothelial perfusion of diabetic donor segments. These relaxations were inhibited by addition of methylene blue to the detector ring or by perfusion of donor segments with nitro-L-arginine. Infusion of superoxide dismutase (SOD) at a site proximal to the donor segment normalized relaxations induced by acetylcholine addition to diabetic donors. In contrast, infusion of SOD distal to the donor had no effect on acetylcholine-stimulated relaxations of detector rings from control donors while attenuating, paradoxically, the relaxations of detector rings from diabetic donors. These results suggest that diabetic rat aortas release similar levels of EDRF in response to acetylcholine, but the action of EDRF arising from diabetic donors is attenuated by enhanced release of oxygen-derived free radicals, which limits EDRF-mediated relaxation of vascular smooth muscle.