Phencyclidine (PCP) displaceable binding of 3H-PCP to glass-fiber filters was eliminated and total binding markedly reduced by initial treatment of the discs with 0.05% polyethyleneimine. Assessed with treated filters, unlabeled PCP displaced 3H-PCP in both rat and pigeon brain membranes with an EC50 of 1 microM. Of similar high inhibitory potency were dextrorphan, levorphanol, SKF 10047 and ketamine, while morphine, naloxone and etorphine had EC50 values higher then 1 mM. Using the dissociative anesthetic dexoxadrol and its inactive isomer levoxadrol as displacing agents, stereospecific binding of 3H-PCP was obtained in rat and pigeon brain membranes. The markedly higher potency of dexoxadrol, relative to levoxadrol, in displacing bound 3H-PCP is compatible with behavioral data for these enantiomers. However, they were equipotent in displacing 3H-PCP bound to glass-fiber filters in the absence of tissue. Heat denaturation, but not freezing, abolished stereospecific binding of 3H-PCP, which was also absent in rat liver membranes. The stereospecific binding component in brain displayed biphasic saturability at 60-70 nM and 300-400 nM, respectively.