Background-Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) degrades vasoactive peptides, including the natriuretic peptides, angiotensin II, and endothelin-1. Systemic inhibition of NEP does not consistently lower blood pressure, even though it increases natriuretic peptide concentrations and causes natriuresis and diuresis. We therefore investigated the direct effects of local inhibition of NEP on forearm resistance vessel tone. Methods and Results-Four separate studies were performed, each with 90-minute drug infusions. In the first study, 10 healthy subjects received a brachial artery infusion of the NEP inhibitor candoxatrilat (125 nmol/min), which caused a slowly progressive forearm vasoconstriction (12Ϯ2%; Pϭ0.001). In a second two-phase study, 6 healthy subjects received, 4 hours after enalapril (20 mg) or placebo, an intra-arterial infusion of the NEP inhibitor thiorphan (30 nmol/min). Thiorphan caused similar degrees of local forearm vasoconstriction (Pϭ0.6) after pretreatment with both placebo (13Ϯ1%, Pϭ0.006) and enalapril (17Ϯ6%, Pϭ0.05). In a third three-phase study, 8 healthy subjects received intra-arterial thiorphan (30 nmol/min), the endothelin ET A antagonist BQ-123 (100 nmol/min), and both combined.