In isolated guinea-pig intestine 5-hydroxytryptamine increased the longitudinal muscle contractions in response to acetylcholine while the ganglionic action of nicotine was first facilitated and then blocked. Phenyldiguanide, veratrine, veratridine and protoveratrine, like 5-hydroxytryptamine, depressed the response to nicotine, leaving that to acetylcholine unaffected.The sensory stimulants, like 5-hydroxytryptamine, facilitated the peristaltic reflex when applied to the mucosa, and abolished it when applied to the serosa. Preceding the block, the initial effect of low concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine applied to the serosa was a short stimulation of peristalsis.Concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine which had an approximately equal stimulant action (mucosal 1 to 4 x 10(-6), serosal 2 to 8 x 10(-8)) were tested when various parts of the reflex arc were blocked. During block by procaine introduced into the lumen, mucosal application of 5-hydroxytryptamine re-established peristalsis, but serosal application of 5-hydroxytryptamine had no effect. During block by hexamethonium or atropine present in the bath, 5-hydroxytryptamine restored peristalsis more effectively by serosal application than by mucosal application. During block by serosal application of 5-hydroxytryptamine, morphine, phenoxybenzamine or dihydroergotamine, mucosal application of 5-hydroxytryptamine restored the peristaltic reflex while serosal application had no effect. During block by 2-bromo-lysergic acid diethylamide or lysergic acid diethylamide acting from the serosal surface, 5-hydroxytryptamine had no effect whether acting on the mucosal or on the serosal surface.It is concluded that 5-hydroxytryptamine facilitates the peristaltic reflex at two sites: when introduced into the lumen it stimulates mucosal sensory receptors; when acting from the serosal surface it sensitizes the muscle to the transmitter acetylcholine. There is also a transient stimulant action on the ganglia which is soon followed by inhibition; this indicates that 5-hydroxytryptamine applied to the serosa abolishes peristalsis by ganglion block.