ABSTRACT-We investigated the cardiovascular effects of 2-octynyladenosine (YT 146), an adenosine A2 agonist, in various mammalian preparations in comparison with adenosine and 2-chloroadenosine. YT-146, when intravenously administered, caused a dose-dependent decrease of blood pressure in anesthetized normotensive rats (with ED30 values of 0.4,ug/kg), and YT-146 was 250 times more potent than adenosine. Whereas adenosine and 2-chloroadenosine decreased heart rate at approximately equihypotensive doses, YT-146 had no negative chronotropic effects at hypotensive doses. Orally given YT-146 (0.1-1 mg/kg) produced a potent and long-lasting anti hypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. YT-146 was 15.9 and 12.5 times more potent than adenosine in producing relaxation of isolated porcine coronary arteries and in increasing dog coronary blood flow, respectively. Although YT-146 was equipotent to adenosine in causing a negative inotropic effect in isolated guinea pig atria, it was less potent than adenosine in producing atrioventricular conduction block in guinea pigs. On the other hand, 2-chloroadenosine was 9.1, 1.8 and 2.4 times more potent than adenosine in lowering blood pressure, relaxing isolated porcine coronary arteries and increasing dog coronary blood flow, respectively. 2-Chloroadeno sine was the most potent in producing cardiodepression, i.e., negative inotropy and atrioventricular conduction block in guinea pigs. From these results, we concluded that YT-146 is a potent coronary vasodilator and also a potent, orally active and long acting hypotensive agent having less cardiac depressant activity. Adenosine receptors mediate a great variety of biological responses in non-excitable and excitable tissues (1). Two subtypes of adeno sine receptors have been identified, i.e., A, and A2 adenosine receptors, which mediate in hibition and stimulation of adenylate cyclase, respectively (2, 3). In the cardiovascular sys tem, it has been established that the hypoten sive action of adenosine occurs via two differ ent mechanisms, i.e., A2 receptor-mediated vasodilation (4-6) and A, receptor-mediated cardiac depression (7-9). Adenosine deriva tives synthesized so far retain the two mecha nisms of action of adenosine. The cardiode pressant action is by no means acceptable in the treatment of hypertension. Thus, adeno sine derivatives with non-vasoselective prop erties developed so far were not suitable for use as antihypertensive drugs. In attempts to develop vasoselective or A2 selective adeno