The effects of nifedipine and BAY K 8644 on the adrenal medullary secretion in response to direct splanchnic nerve stimulation were studied in anesthetized dogs. Supramaximal stimulation (12 V) was given on the left splanchnic nerve at a frequency of 2 Hz with three different pulse durations (0.2, 2, and 20 ms) for a total period of 1.5 min. Each stimulation was given for 30 s without interruption between each stimulation. Plasma concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine were measured in adrenal venous and aortic blood. In the vehicle control group, epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations in adrenal venous blood proportionally increased with the lengthening of the pulse duration without significant changes in catecholamine concentrations in aortic blood. In dogs receiving nifedipine (100 micrograms/kg iv), the net increase in adrenal venous epinephrine concentration during stimulation with 20-ms pulse duration was attenuated by approximately 50% (P < 0.05). In dogs treated with BAY K 8644 (30 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv), both adrenal venous epinephrine and norepinephrine secretions evoked by stimulation with 20-ms pulse duration were significantly enhanced by approximately 50%. The present results suggest that the secretion of adrenal catecholamines under in vivo conditions is controlled through mechanism(s) involving dihydropyridine sensitive L-type Ca2+ channels presumably localized on the surface of adrenal medullary chromaffin cells.