Further elucidation of the mechanism of halothane s negative inotropic action has resulted from a study of the effect of various substrates on halothane-depressed rat atria. Approximately 6 mg% halothane was required to maintain a 50% depression of the contractility of rat atria suspended in a modified Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate glucose medium, pH 7.4, 30˚C for 2hr. Both lactate and acetate were found to restore partially the contractility of halothane-depressed atria. The maximally effective concentration of lactate was 5 mM; for acetate it was 2.5mM. Neither 5 nor 20 mM of additional glucose was effective in restoring the force of contraction of halothane-depressed atria. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that halothane exerts at least a part of its negative inotropic effect on rat atria by inhibiting either the uptake or utilization of glucose by the myocardium. The site of blockade must be prior to the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA. In our previous report dealing with the mechanism of cardiac depressant action of inhalation anesthetic halothane, it has been demonstrated that: 1) approximately 6 mg/100 ml halothane is required to maintain 50% depression of the force of contraction of isolated rat atria in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate glucose medium; 2) pyruvate partially restores the contractility of halothane-depressed atria, but has no effect on normal atria; the partial recovery of depressed atria by the addition of sodium pyruvate is due to the effect of the pyruvate ion itself, not to the sodium ion; 4) addition of pyruvate, to atria depressed with hypertonic medium, produced only further depression. From these findings we concluded that the cardiac depressant action of halothane on rat atria is a manifestation of inhibition of glucose uptake or utilization. The present studies were undertaken to observe the effect of other substrates on halothane-depressed atria in order to substantiate our conclusion. As with the case of pyruvate, lactate and acetate also partially restored the force of contraction of halothane-depressed atria. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that halothane inhibits glucose uptake or utilization in the glycolytic cycle of the myocardium.