Amlodipine, alone or in combination with other drugs, was successfully used to treat hypertension. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of amlodipine (Am) to restore endothelial dysfunction induced by irreversibly glycated low density lipoproteins (AGE-LDL), an in vitro model mimicking the diabetic condition. Human endothelial cells (HEC) from EA.hy926 line were incubated with AGE-LDL in the presence/absence of Am and the oxidative and inflammatory status of the cells was evaluated along with the p38 MAPK and NF-kappa B signalling pathways. The cellular NADPH activity, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and 3-nitrotyrosine levels in the culture medium and the adhesion of human monocytes to HEC were measured by chemiluminescence, UHPLC, Western Blot and spectrofluorimetric techniques. The gene expression of NADPH subunits (p22(phox), NOX4), eNOS and inflammatory molecules (MCP-1, VCAM-1) were determined by Real Time PCR, while the protein expression of p22(phox), MCP-1, iNOS, phospho-p38 MAPK and phospho-p65 NF-kappa B subunit were measured by Western Blot. Results showed that in HEC incubated with AGE-LDL, Am led to: (i) decrease of the oxidative stress: by reducing p22(phox), NOX4, iNOS expression, NADPH oxidase activity, 4-HNE and 3-nitrotyrosine levels; (ii) decrease of the inflammatory stress: by the reduction of MCP-1 and VCAM-1 expression, as well as of the number of monocytes adhered to HEC; (iii) inhibition of ROS-sensitive signalling pathways: by decreasing phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and p65 NF-kappa B subunits. In conclusion, the reported data demonstrate that amlodipine may improve endothelial dysfunction in diabetes through anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.