The aim of this study was to investigate the biodynamic effects of vulgarenol, a sesquiterpene isolated from Magnolia grandiflora flower petals and its possible mechanism on the Langendorff isolated and perfused heart model. Vulgarenol (5 microm) caused a statistically significant decrease in coronary vascular resistance (15.21 +/- 6.00 dyn s cm(-5) vs 36.80 +/- 5.01 dyn s cm(-5), control group), increased nitric oxide release (223.01 +/- 8.76 pmol/mL vs 61.00 +/- 12.00 pmol/mL, control group) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate accumulation in left ventricular tissue samples (142.17 +/- 8.41 pmol/mg of tissue vs 43.94 +/- 5.00 pmol/mg of tissue, control group). Pre-treatment with 3 microm gadolinium chloride hexahydrate, 100 microm N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, and 10 microm 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,2-a]quinoxalin-1-one significantly abolished the vulgarenol-induced coronary vascular resistance decrease, nitric oxide increased release and cGMP accumulation in left ventricular tissue samples. The results support the fact that nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate are likely involved in the endothelium-dependent coronary vasodilation.