The effect of pretreatment with ranitidine (150 mg twice daily for 5 days) on the disposition of lignocaine was examined in 10 healthy volunteers (five male, five female). Each subject received separate oral (250 mg) and intravenous (1.5 mg/kg) doses of lignocaine hydrochloride before and after ranitidine. Lignocaine systemic clearance was reduced by 9% (1.11 to 0.99 1 h-1 kg-1; P less than 0.01) following ranitidine pretreatment. The volume of distribution at steady-state was reduced by 15% (3.34 to 2.85 1 kg-1; P less than 0.005). Lignocaine oral clearance, elimination half-life and oral bioavailability were unchanged after ranitidine pretreatment. There was no sex difference in the effects of ranitidine pretreatment on lignocaine disposition. These results are consistent with small reductions in blood flow to the splanchnic and other vascular beds due to ranitidine.