Analogues of the analgetic drug pethidine were synthesized. Two N-aralkylen derivatives displayed a superior inhibitory effect on the activity of NADH:ubiquinone reductase in beef heart mitochondrial membranes. Dose-response curves revealed that the potency of these compounds is very comparable to that of the standard probe rotenone. The inhibitors were characterized by (a) their action on the reductase activity in various (eukaryotic and prokaryotic) organisms, (b) their influence on the enzyme kinetics, (c) their effects on the NADH dependent reduction of different electron acceptors, (d) their interference with the activities of other mitochondrial oxido-reductases. With regard to many of these aspects a close analogy between pethidine derivatives and rotenone was observed. A computer simulation of the steric structures of these molecules indicates that both classes of the chemically rather unrelated inhibitors may imitate very similar conformations. The potential advantages of the pethidine derivatives for the investigation of structure - function relationships within complex I of the respiratory chain is discussed.