Attempts were made to demonstrate release of vasoactive substances from the heart during coronary occlusion (for 60 min) and reperfusion (for 60 min), and to clarify the pathophysiological significance of them. Vasoactive substances were detected by superfusion of rabbit aortic and dog coronary arterial strips with great coronary venous blood. Plasma thromboxane (TX) B2 was radioimmunologically assayed. Gradually developing, sustained contraction of both vascular strips was noted during coronary occlusion and reperfusion, while a transient contraction in rabbit aortic and relaxation in dog coronary arterial strips were seen immediately after reperfusion. The TXB2 released into the great coronary venous blood significantly increased during occlusion and reperfusion. Indomethacin treatment of the dog abolished the sustained contraction of both vascular strips and TXB2 release. The transient contraction of rabbit aorta after reperfusion was inhibited by phenoxybenzamine. Reactive hyperaemia following a 60 min occlusion was significantly depressed, as compared with that following 30 s to 30 min occlusion, and the depression was alleviated by indomethacin and imidazole. These results suggest that catecholamine(s) and TXA2 are released during coronary occlusion and reperfusion, and that the latter might be responsible for the coronary circulatory failure during reperfusion of irreversibly damaged myocardium.