Intestinal Na and H2O fluxes and blood flow were determined in extrinsically denervated or innervated ileum of fed dogs during intra-arterial (0.2, 2, 20 micrograms min-1) or intraluminal (4, 40, 400 micrograms ml-1) morphine sulphate infusion. 3H2O and 22Na were used to determine unidirectional fluxes and 3H2O clearances were used to determine total segmental and absorptive site blood flow. Net Na and H2O absorption decreased with time in innervated gut segments but were unchanged in denervated segments. Intra-arterial morphine prevented the decrease in net Na and H2O absorption in innervated segments due to increases in unidirectional absorptive fluxes. Intra-arterial morphine did not affect absorption in denervated segments. Intraluminal morphine increased net Na and H2O absorption from both innervated and denervated ileal segments due to increases in the unidirectional absorptive fluxes. Absorptive site blood flow was linearly related to unidirectional absorptive Na fluxes in each group although not with the same slopes. The increment in absorptive site blood flow vs. absorptive Na flux was greatest with luminal morphine, intermediate with intra-arterial morphine and in denervated segments without morphine and least in innervated segments. It was concluded that intra-arterial morphine inhibits an antiabsorptive effect of extrinsic nerves and that intraluminal morphine promotes an absorptive effect which could be direct or mediated through intrinsic nerves.