The properties of MDL 72222 (1 alpha H, 3 alpha, 5 alpha H-tropan-3-yl-3,5-dichlorobenzoate), a novel compound with potent and selective blocking actions at certain excitatory 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors on mammalian peripheral neurones, are described. On the rabbit isolated heart, MDL 72222 was a potent antagonist of responses mediated through the receptors for 5-HT present on the terminal sympathetic fibres. The threshold for antagonism was approximately 0.1 nM and the negative logarithm of the molar concentration of MDL 72222 which reduced the chronotropic response of the isolated rabbit heart to twice an ED50 of 5-HT to that of the ED50 was 9.27. MDL 72222 was also highly selective since responses to the nicotine receptor agonist, dimethylphenylpiperazinum iodine (DMPP), were inhibited only at concentrations more than 1000 times those necessary to inhibit 5-HT. In the anaesthetised rat, MDL 72222 produced marked blockade of the Bezold-Jarisch effect of 5-HT. Again, inhibition was selective since much higher doses of MDL 72222 failed to alter the response to electrical stimulation of the efferent vagus nerves. In contrast, MDL 72222 proved only a weak and essentially non-selective antagonist of responses mediated by the 5-HT M-receptor present on the cholinergic nerves of the guinea-pig ileum. MDL 72222 does not block smooth muscle contractile responses elicited by oxytocin or mediated through 5-HT D-receptors, muscarinic or nicotinic cholinoceptors or histamine H1-receptors except at relatively high concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)