A vanillylamide-based propanolamine derivative, KMUP 880708, was first investigated both in vivo and in vitro. KMUP 880708 (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg kg -1 , iv) produced dose-dependent hypotensive and bradycardia responses in pentobarbital-anesthetized Wistar rats. KMUP 880708 (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg kg -1 , iv) also markedly inhibited both the tachycardia effects induced by (-)isoproterenol and arterial pressor responses induced by phenylephrine. KMUP 880708 competitively antagonized (-)isoproterenolinduced positive inotropic and chronotropic effects of the atria and tracheal relaxation responses on isolated guinea pig tissues. The apparent pA 2 values for KMUP 880708 was 7.82 ± 0.06 in the right atria, 7.51 ± 0.13 in the left atria, and 6.31 ± 0.07 in the trachea, respectively, indicating that KMUP 880708 was selective β 1 -adrenoceptor blocker. In thoracic aorta experiments, KMUP 880708 also produced a competitive antagonism of norepinephrine-induced contraction with pA 2 value of 7.92 ± 0.52, indicating that KMUP 880708 was α-adrenoceptor antagonist. In isolated rat thoracic aorta, KMUP 880708 more potently relaxed the contractions induced by phenylephrine (10 -5 M) than those by high K + (75 mM). KMUP 880708-induced relaxation was significantly reduced by endothelium removal and by exposure to L-N G -nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 1 and 3 × 10 -4 M), indomethacin (3 × 10 -5 M), methylene blue (10 -5 M) and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolol[4,3,-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 10 -6 M). The vasorelaxant effect of KMUP 880708 on phenylephrine-induced contraction was attenuated by the pretreatment with tetraethylammonium (TEA), glibenclamide, charybdotoxin, and apamin, but not by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). In addition, KMUP 880708 inhibited phenylephrine-induced biphasic contraction and affected the fast-twitch phase more significantly than the slow tonic phase. In the radioligand-binding assay, the K i values of [ 3 H]CGP-12177 binding to rat ventricle and lung membranes were 15.14 and 524.81 nM, respectively, and the value of [ relaxation activities. Furthermore, the vasodilator effect of KMUP 880708 is attributed to the release of NO or NO-related substance from vascular endothelium. While the endothelium-independent mechanism involved in the relaxation of KMUP 880708 is probably linked to K + channel activation in these vessels. DrugDev. Res. 55:104-117, 2002.