SR 142801 is the first potent and selective non-peptide antagonist of the tachykinin NK3 receptor. It inhibited [MePhe7]NKB binding to its receptor from various species, including humans. SR 142801 was a competitive antagonist of [MePhe7]NKB-mediated contractions of guinea-pig ileum and inhibited the acetylcholine release following the activation of the guinea-pig ileum tachykinin NK3 receptor. In vivo, SR 142801 potently inhibited the turning behaviour induced by intrastriatal injection of senktide in gerbils, and appears as a powerful tool for investigation of the physiological and pathological role of NKB and its NK3 receptor.