Cardiovascular regulation during alpha 1-adrenergic blocker-induced vasodepression was investigated in urethane-anaesthetized rats. Intravenous (i.v.) injections of bunazosin, an alpha 1-blocker, elicited depressor responses which were accompanied by corresponding decreases in both heart rate and abdominal sympathetic discharge, dose-dependently. Those responses were not affected by the bilateral sino-aortic de-afferentation. Assuming that the site of action is in the central nervous system, bunazosin was injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.). It produced hypotension accompanied by decreases in heart rate and abdominal sympathetic nerve activity. The magnitude of the responses was greater when bunazosin was injected i.c.v. than when injected i.v. Since these results indicated that the central alpha 1-adrenergic receptors mediate vasopressor responses, the effects of i.c.v. injections of an alpha 1-agonist, phenylephrine was explored. It elicited vasopressor responses accompanied by corresponding increases in heart rate and abdominal sympathetic nerve activity. Furthermore, i.c.v. pretreatment with bunazosin abolished the vasopressor responses to i.c.v. injections of phenylephrine. These results indicate that central alpha 1-adrenergic receptors mediate vasopressor responses and that i.v. injections of alpha 1-blockers affect the central alpha 1-receptors, to produce a decrease in sympathetic nerve activity. Consequently, alpha 1-adrenergic blockers decrease blood pressure not only by peripheral vasodilation but also by inhibition of the sympathetic outflow in rats.