The effects of calcium (Ca2+) withdrawal, Ca2+ entry blockers and calmodulin inhibitors on the contractile responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), K+ and CaCl2 have been studied in human isolated umbilical artery. Following Ca2+ withdrawal from the medium (30 min), both 5-HT- and K(+)-induced contractions were virtually abolished. Ca2+ entry blockers (nifedipine, verapamil, diltiazem and cinnarizine) were significantly more effective in inhibiting 5-HT- than K(+)-induced contractions. In relation to calmodulin inhibitors, trifluoperazine inhibited all types of contractions, whereas W-7 (N-6-aminohexyl-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulphonamide) only inhibited 5-HT- and CaCl2-induced contractions. All drugs inhibited CaCl2-induced contractions in a non-competitive manner. These findings indicate that the mechanisms by which these drugs exert their inhibitory effects on human umbilical artery are markedly different from those reported in other vascular beds.