The effects of the hypoglycemic agent, cyclopropane carboxylate, on the metabolism of various substrates that enter the mitochondrion via the mitochondrial monocarboxylate transporter were investigated in perfused rat livers. Metabolism of pyruvate, branched-chain alpha-keto acids, acetoacetate and, to a lesser extent beta-hydroxybutyrate, were all inhibited by cyclopropane carboxylate. In addition, the stimulation of pyruvate decarboxylation by beta-hydroxybutyrate at low pyruvate concentrations because of exchange of extramitochondrial pyruvate with intramitochondrially generated acetoacetate, was abolished by cyclopropane carboxylate. Gluconeogenesis from alanine, which is not transported via the monocarboxylate translocator, was not inhibited by low concentrations of cyclopropane carboxylate. Cyclopropane carboxylate also inhibited fatty acid oxidation, as measured by ketone body production. These results support previous findings that the hypoglycemic agent, cyclopropane carboxylate, exerts at least some of its metabolic effects at the level of the mitochondrial monocarboxylate transporter.