Several 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT3) receptor antagonists have been described. In addition to 5-HT3 receptor antagonist activity, many of these agents also possess gastroprokinetic activity. In the present report, we identify compound LY277359 maleate as a potent, p.o. active, highly selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist lacking gastroprokinetic effects. LY277359 maleate was a potent and selective antagonist of 2-methyl 5-HT-induced contraction in the guinea pig ileum (KB = 1.6 nM), a response mediated by activation of 5-HT3 receptors. Given both i.v. (0.0003, 0.001 and 0.003 mg/kg) and p.o. (0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg), LY277359 maleate inhibited the bradycardic response to i.v. administered 5-HT in urethane-anesthetized rats. The duration of antagonism of 5-HT-induced bradycardia persisted beyond 6 hr after p.o. administration of LY277359 maleate (0.03 mg/kg p.o.). In contrast to its potent 5-HT3 receptor antagonist activity, LY277359 maleate, in doses up to 1 mg/kg p.o., did not affect gastric emptying in rats, suggesting minimal, if any, gastroprokinetic activity of LY277359 maleate. This is in contrast to another 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, zacopride, which did produce a marked increase in gastric emptying in rats at doses of 0.1 mg/kg p.o. and higher. LY277359 maleate (0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg i.v. and 0.07, 0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg p.o.) did have effects consistent with other 5-HT3 antagonists, to inhibit cisplatin-evoked emesis in dogs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)