The active site of minaprine (3-(2-morpholinoethylamino)-4-methyl-6-phenylpyridazine) was studied by means of receptor binding and its effect on acetylcholine (ACh) release in rat hippocampus. [3H]Minaprine binding to the hippocampal membrane was inhibited by minaprine, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and phencyclidine (PCP) dose-dependently, whereas it was not inhibited by L-glutamate (L-Glu), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV), 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine ((+)3-PPP) or ketamine. [3H]PCP binding was inhibited by PCP and APV in an extensively washed hippocampal membrane. Minaprine, however, failed to inhibit the [3H]PCP binding. [3H]3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) binding was inhibited by L-Glu but not by minaprine. NMDA-evoked [3H]ACh release from the rat hippocampal slices was effectively inhibited by PCP. However, minaprine had no effect on the NMDA-evoked [3H]ACh release. Similar results were obtained from the study of [3H]ACh release in the striatum. These results suggest that minaprine exerts its action via the voltage-dependent K+ channel but not via the NMDA receptor-channel complex or sigma receptor.