Nitroxyl anion (NO ؊ ) is the one-electron reduction product of nitric oxide (NO ⅐ ) and is enzymatically generated by NO synthase in vitro. The physiologic activity and mechanism of action of NO ؊ in vivo remains unknown. The NO ؊ generator Angeli's salt (AS, Na2N2O3) was administered to conscious chronically instrumented dogs, and pressure-dimension analysis was used to discriminate contractile from peripheral vascular responses. AS rapidly enhanced left ventricular contractility and concomitantly lowered cardiac preload volume and diastolic pressure (venodilation) without a change in arterial resistance. There were no associated changes in arterial or venous plasma cGMP. The inotropic response was similar despite reflex blockade with hexamethonium or volume reexpansion, indicating its independence from baroreflex stimulation. However, reflex activation did play a major role in the selective venodilation observed under basal conditions. These data contrasted with the pure NO donor diethylamine͞NO, which induced a negligible inotropic response and a more balanced veno͞arterial dilation. AS-induced positive inotropy, but not systemic vasodilatation, was highly redox-sensitive, being virtually inhibited by coinfusion of N-acetyl-L-cysteine. Cardiac inotropic signaling by NO ؊ was mediated by calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), as treatment with the selective CGRP-receptor antagonist CGRP-(8 -37) prevented this effect but not systemic vasodilation. Thus, NO ؊ is a redox-sensitive positive inotrope with selective venodilator action, whose cardiac effects are mediated by CGRP-receptor stimulation. This fact is evidence linking NO ؊ to redox-sensitive cardiac contractile modulation by nonadrenergic͞noncholinergic peptide signaling. Given its cardiac and vascular properties, NO ؊ may prove useful for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases characterized by cardiac depression and elevated venous filling pressures.N itric oxide (NO ⅐ )-related species play a crucial role in diverse physiological processes, including blood pressure regulation, neurotransmission, and cytostatic͞cytotoxic signaling (1). Whereas some NO ⅐ -mediated cardiovascular effects are firmly established, its control over myocardial contractility remains controversial in that positive, negative, or neutral effects can be observed. The net result varies with the tissue preparation, NO ⅐ concentration and donor, and myocardial redox state (2, 3). These factors can critically influence the particular NO ⅐ species generated and, thereby, the net contractile response.Among the NO ⅐ -related species is nitroxyl anion (NO Ϫ ), the one-electron reduction product of NO ⅐ that is formed by NO ⅐ synthase in vitro by direct enzyme action or metabolism of the decoupled NO ⅐ synthase product N G -hydroxy-L-arginine (4-8). At high concentrations of 0.1-5 mM, NO Ϫ seems more cytotoxic than NO ⅐ in vitro, causing DNA strand breaks and base oxidation (9, 10). Like NO ⅐ , NO Ϫ induces vasodilation in vivo and in vitro in association with the formation of iron-nitro...