Summary. Experimental evidence is given that the hallucinogen harmaline (HME) behaves as an inhibitor of the (Na+ § system, specifically in the Na +-dependent phosphorylation reaction. HME at 0.3 to 3 mM inhibited several membrane ATPase preparations such as those from human erythrocytes, rat brain and squid retinal axons. The same concentration blocked Na + outflow from squid giant axons. The behavior of several harmane derivatives such as harmine, harmalol and harmaline demonstrated that certain groups influenced the concentration for 50 % inhibition of the ATPase system. The following evidence demonstrated that HME blocked the formation of the phosphorylated intermediate by competition with Na ions in the (Na + +K+)-ATPase reaction in rat brain. (1) The HME effect on the overall (Na++ K+)-ATPase reaction showed a fully competitive inhibition with respect to Na ion concentration.(2) The inhibition of the Na+-stimulated phosphorylation by HME was fully competitive with respect to Na ions, with or without oligomycin present. (3) HME inhibited the effect of ADP on the phosphorylation reaction using 32p-ATP. (4) HME did not accelerate the rate of membrane dephosphorylation by means of 32p-ATP and cold ATP.From the behavior of HME as a competitive inhibitor at Na ion sites of the (Na + + K+)-ATPase reactions one may gain information about (a) The chemical nature of Na + sites which may be responsible for the selectivity of this cation, and (b) The sequence of Na + and ATP entrance into the Na+-dependent phosphorylation reaction. The experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that the entrance of Na + into the enzyme system may precede the formation of the phosphorylated intermediate.An interest in elucidating the nature of the molecular mechanism involved in the functioning of the sodium pump has led to the study of its behavior in isolated membrane fragments [1,6] and in intact cells [13,15]. From experiments with fragments of cell membranes with (Na + +K § ATPase activity, several partial reactions have been described. The reaction sequence appears to involve a Na+-stimulated phosphorylation of the enzyme followed by a K+-dependent dephosphorylation [29].IS J. Membrane Biol, 13