With respect to controversial opinions concerning the nitroglycerin effects on cardiac muscle the direct nitroglycerin actions were thoroughly studied in isolated papillary muscles, atrial preparations and coronary strips of rabbits. Isometric active tension of papillary muscles developed at 35C upon electric stimulation at a rate of 60/min, was not affected by nitroglycerin up to a concentration of 10mg/L Higher concentrations of nitroglycerin, however, reduced action tension progressively. This depression of mechanical activity is accompanied by a decrease in oxygen consumption as measured by means of a flow respirometer. Resting oxygen uptake, on the other hand, remained unchanged. Similarly active tension of spontaneously beating atrial preparations also declined at a nitroglycerin concentration of more than 10 mg/L, whereas the sinus frequency did not change up to 40 mg/L. In contrast, rabbit coronary strips are much more sensitive to nitroglycerin and relax in a range of 10-100 ug/L of nitroglycerin concentration. The results indicate that the pharmacologic effects of nitroglycerin in coronary disease are due to vascular actions, because the plasma levels of nitroglycerin attainable in human therapy are not sufficiently high to directly influence the myocardium. [KTCS 1983;3:272-280]