The effect of MCl-176 [2-(2,5-dimethoxyphenylmethyl)-3-(2-dimethylaminoethyl)-6- isopropoxy-4(3H)-quinazolinone hydrochloride], a novel calcium channel blocker, on ischemic myocardial acidosis was studied in the dog heart, in which the left anterior descending coronary artery was partially occluded for 90 min (partial occlusion). Myocardial pH (measured by a micro glass pH electrode) was about 7.60 in the nonischemic normal heart. The myocardial pH decreased rapidly in response to partial occlusion, and reached the steady state of about 6.85 within 30 min (i.e., the myocardial [H+] increased after partial occlusion). Saline or drug was injected i.v. 30 min after partial occlusion, and the drug effect was observed till the end of partial occlusion. Myocardial [H+], that had been increased by partial occlusion, restored slightly after the saline injection, and the restoration was about 30% 60 min after the injection. MCl-176 increased this spontaneous restoration of myocardial [H+] with a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate; the restoration induced by 0.1 mg/kg of MCl-176 was 74% 60 min after the injection. Even in the paced heart, MCl-176 (0.1 mg/kg) attenuated the ischemia-induced myocardial acidosis. Propranolol (1 mg/kg) also attenuated the myocardial acidosis, the restoration being 82%. These results indicate that MCl-176 attenuates the myocardial acidosis during ischemia as does propranolol, and that the mechanism of action of MCl-176 is not due primarily to a decrease in heart rate.