Sinorphan is a powerful inhibitor of enkephalinases or endopeptidases 24-11, enzymes implicated in the degradation of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF). In healthy volunteers, it increases plasma concentrations of endogenic ANF and increases diuresis and natriuresis. In order to study the tolerance and biological effects of pharmacological increase of plasma concentrations of endogenic ANF in severe congestive cardiac failure, 12 patients (in functional Classes III or IV of the NYHA classification) were given a single oral dose of 10, 20 or 40 mg of Sinorphan. Sinorphan was clinically well tolerated. The diastolic blood pressure decreased slightly (- 10 +/- 9 mmHg) but significantly (p less than 0.05). Systolic blood pressure and heart rate were unchanged. Despite spontaneously high plasma ANF concentrations (on average 15 times higher than normal subjects), Sinorphan induced an additional increase of 80 to 100% of plasma ANF concentration compared to the initial values (p less than 0.01) with no dose-dependent response for the dosages used. The inhibition of plasma endopeptidase activity attained 47% at the 30th minute. Urinary cyclic GMP excretion increased by 30% at the second hour (p less than 0.05). In addition, a statistically non significant tendency to increase diuresis and natriuresis was observed. These results show that Sinorphan increases plasma ANF concentrations by inhibition of its degradation in severe congestive cardiac failure and that this increase seems to be associated with potentially beneficial biological changes. The concept of endopeptidase inhibition should constitute a new therapeutic approach in cardiac failure, a situation in which the ANF seems to exert a favourable effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)