The effect of a carbanilic local anesthetic pentacaine [(+/-)-trans-2- (1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl ester of 3(n)-pentyloxyphenyl-carbanilic acid] and some of its derivatives [K-1905 [(+/-)-trans-2-diethylaminocyclopentyl ester of 3(n)-pentyloxyphenyl-carbanilic acid], K-2002 [(+/-)-trans-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl ester of 4(n)-pentyloxyphenyl-carbanilic acid], K-2006 [(+/-)-trans-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclopentyl ester of 4(n)-pentyloxyphenyl-carbanilic acid], and carbanilates P2 [(+/-)-trans-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl ester of 4-methoxy-carbonylphenyl-carbanilic acid], P3 [(+/-)-trans-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl ester of 3-methoxy-phenyl-carbanilic acid], and PeJ, the quaternized derivative of pentacaine), as well as that of oxethazaine was studied on longitudinal antral and circular fundic smooth muscle strips of the guinea-pig stomach. All the carbanilates studied relaxed the smooth muscle, attenuated the spontaneous smooth muscle contractions and shifted the acetylcholine, histamine, and BaCl2 cumulative concentration effect curves to the right, reducing their maximum. There was no direct relationship between their relaxing potency and the ability to reduce the action of different stimulants. For the effectiveness of the carbanilates studied, substitution in the lipophilic part of the molecule was more important than in the hydrophilic part and the meta position was more advantageous than the para position. Pentyloxy-derivatives (pentacaine, K-1905, K-2002 and K-2006) were more active than the methylcarbonyloxy (P2)- and methoxy (P3)-derivatives. Opening of the heterocyclic ring (K-1905) in the hydrophilic part of the molecule did not affect significantly the potency of the derivative studied, while quaternization (PeJ) significantly reduced the potency. It is suggested that the carbanilates studied may affect the smooth muscle responses via changes in the membrane fluidity and Ca2+ availability, and that these effects might be partly responsible also for their antiulcer activity.