If a colloid osmotic (oncotic) pressure gradient develops across the myocyte membrane during the calcium paradox, adding an oncotic agent to the perfusate should be inhibitory. After 10-min perfusion with Ca(2+)-free Krebs-Henseleit (KH) buffer under constant flow at 34 degrees C, myoglobin release was measured from Langendorff hearts reperfused with Ca(2+)-containing KH buffer. When the Ca(2+)-free medium contained 200 mM sucrose, myoglobin release was reduced to 5% of that observed in the absence of sucrose, a change that was not seen when 200 mosM NaCl, choline chloride, LiCl, or glycerol was added. Replacement of 75 mM NaCl in the perfusate with 150 mM sucrose resulted in myoglobin release values that were 4% of the control. Plots of myoglobin release against sucrose concentration under these hypertonic and isotonic conditions yielded similar though separate curves. Sucrose also inhibited increases in wet weight-to-dry weight ratio and decreases in ATP and phosphocreatine contents. These results support the hypothesis that an oncotic pressure gradient arises during the calcium paradox at the moment of increased membrane permeability and plays a major role in its development.