1 The kinetics of nifedipine and the relationship between its serum concentration and uterine and cardiovascular effects were investigated in 3 groups of animals. These were ovariectomized (ovx) anaesthetized non-pregnant rats following bolus i.v. injection (400 yg kg-1) and during 300 min infusion (10pgkg-1 min-1) and ovx, progesterone-treated late pregnant rats during infusion. Also, the kinetics were determined in ovary-intact late pregnant rats following bolus i.v. injection (400 pg kg-1). 2 Measurement of serum nifedipine concentrations after bolus i.v. injection in ovx non-pregnant rats showed a biexponential decay with time from which the following parameters were calculated: Ve = 300 + 30mlkg-1; rate constants k12 = 0.51 + 0.18min-1; k21 = 0.07 + 0.02min-1; kel = 0.10 + 0.05 min1; elimination clearance = 2.4 + 0.2 (ml min 1)kg-1; t1/2_ = 2.5 + 1.0min; t 112, = 102 + 15 min. In intact pregnant rats, a biexponential decay of serum nifedipine concentrations with time was also observed after bolus i.v. administration with similar parameters to non-pregnant animals. These kinetic parameters, used to calculate serum nifedipine concentrations obtained during infusion, predicted values similar to experimental values for 180 min, but thereafter slightly underestimated experimental values. 3 Immediate reductions in uterine contractions, mean blood pressure and heart rate were observed following bolus i.v. injection of nifedipine to ovx non-pregnant rats, with returns towards control values as serum nifedipine concentrations declined. ICI5 values (15% change from baseline), calculated from log10 serum concentration-response curves, of 0.3 + 0.05 pg ml-I for inhibition of uterine contractions, 0.8 + 0.3pgml -1 for depression of blood pressure and 3.8 + 1.0 Yg ml1 for reduction in heart rate were obtained.4 In ovx non-pregnant rats, nifedipine infusion produced a maximum reduction in integral of uterine contractions of 70% by 120 min and a maximum reduction of 15% in heart rate. Mean blood pressure was not significantly different from vehicle-treated rats. IC1_ values were 0.7 + 0.1 pg ml1 and 2.8 + 0.6.pg ml-for inhibition of uterine contractions and heart rate respectively.5 In ovx, progesterone-treated late pregnant rats, nifedipine infusion produced similar serum concentrations to those of non-pregnant rats but completely abolished uterine contractions by 70min.Maximum reductions of 30% in heart rate and blood pressure were observed. IC1S values were 0.5 + 0.1ygml-1 for uterine contractions, 0.9 + 0.3lpgmlP1 for blood pressure and 1.2 ± 0.3 pg ml -1 for heart rate. 6 The findings suggest that the kinetics of nifedipine are similar in pregnant and non-pregnant rats and support the idea that the drug exerts a slight selectivity for uterine inhibition relative to cardiovascular effects. The uterus of the late pregnant rat appears to be more sensitive to nifedipine than that of the non-pregnant animal.