AIM: To examine the effects of opioid receptor antagonists and norepinephrine on intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in mesenteric arterial (MA) smooth muscle cells (SMC) isolated from normal and hemorrhagic shocked rats in the vascular hyporesponse stage. METHODS: The rat model of hemorrhagic shock was made by withdrawing blood to decrease the artery mean blood pressure to 3.73-4.26 kPa and keeping at the level for 3 h.[Ca2+]i of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) were detected by the laser scan confocal microscopy. RESULTS:In the hyporesponse VMSC of rats in hemorrhagic shock, selective δ-, κ-, and μ-opioid receptor antagonists (naltrindole, nor-binaltorphimine, and β-funaltrexamine, 100 nmol/L) as well as norepinephrine 5 μmol/L significantly increased [Ca2+]i by 47 %±13 %, 37 %±14 %, 33 %±10 %, and 54 %±17 %, respectively, although their effects were lower than those in the normal rat cells (the increased values were 148 %±54 %, 130 %±44 %, 63 %±17 %and 110 %±38 %, respectively); and the norepinephrine-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was further augmented by three δ-, κ-, and μ-opioid receptor antagonists (50 nmol/L, respectively) application (from 52 %± 16 % to 99 %±29 %,146 %±54 % and 137 %±47 %, respectively). CONCLUSION: The disorder of [Ca2+]i regulation induced by hemorrhagic shock was mediated by opioid receptor and α-adrenoceptor, which may be partly responsible for the vascular hyporesponse, and the opioid receptor antagonists improved the response of resistance arteries to vascular stimulants in decompensatory stage of hemorrhagic shock.