Calcium channel blockers are widely used in therapy for hypertension and angina pectoris, and among these blockers some 1,4-dihydropyridines (e.g. amlodipine, nitrendipine and nifedipine) have had widespread clinical use. In this work we investigated the vascular effects of four bis-1,4-dihydropyridines (bis-DHPs: 01-04), structurally related to nifedipine, in which a second 1,4-dihydropyridinic moiety was incorporated in the corresponding arylic moiety in para and meta position. Of these four bis-DHPs, the meta regioisomers (bis-DHP-03 and bis-DHP-04; 0.01-3.16 mg kg(-1)) and nifedipine induced a greater decrease on diastolic and systolic blood pressure than the para isomers (bis-DHP-01 and bis-DHP-02), as shown in two experimental models: normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Complementarily, bis-DHPs action was examined in intact and endothelium-denuded rat aorta, depolarized by KCl [80 mM] in one group and stimulated by noradrenaline (1 x 10(-7) M) in another and the corresponding IC(50) values were obtained (1.5 x 10(-6)-2. 4 x 10(-7)M). Later, the relaxing action of bis-DHP-03,04 and nifedipine on the contraction evoked by Ca(2+) in K(+)-depolarized rat aorta was analyzed and the corresponding EC(50) values for the meta isomers and nifedipine were obtained. The results showed a concentration dependent vasodilating activity in both KCl precontracted and noradrenaline stimulated aorta rings. The apparent order of potency with and without endothelium in both experimental models was nifedipine >bis-DHP-04 >bis-DHP-03. The cumulative concentration-effect curves for Ca(2+) in the presence of the bis-DHPs tested show the same potency order. Unlike nifedipine, the tested compounds are not photosensitive, which makes them more attractive in therapy for hypertension related diseases.