The new chromatographic system Akta-Purifier 10 (Amersham-Pharmacia Biotech), scaled for preparative HPLC, was used for the purification of Substance P (SP) endopeptidase activity in the ventral tegemental area (VTA) of the rat brain. SP endopeptidase previously identified and purified from human cerebrospinal fluid has been found to degrade the neuroactive peptide SP in a specific pattern. In this study we have recovered SP endopeptidase from the rat VTA following a purification scheme involving homogenization (ultrasonication) and extraction of the excised tissue, size-exclusion chromatography (Superdex 75 HR), and ion-exchange chromatography (Resource Q). In this way we were able to achieve a purification factor of almost 7,500, based on specific activity. The obtained SP endopeptidase activity, was then subjected to characterization with regard to inhibition profile. The enzyme activity was monitored by following the conversion of SP to its N-terminal fragment SP(1-7) using a radioimmunoassay, specific for the heptapeptide product. On basis of inhibition profile it was possible to discern two different SP endopeptidase-like activities, one sensitive toward the protease inhibitor phosphoramidon (preparation A), and another non-sensitive to phosphoramidon or captopril (preparation B). The molecular masses of preparations A and B, as derived from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, were found to be 90,000 and 76,000, respectively. Our data suggest that the purified phosphoramidon sensitive endopeptidase activity may be an enzyme that plays a major role in the conversion of SP to its bioactive fragment SP(1-7) in the rat VTA. This is likely to be identical to the previously known neutral endopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.11). However, this study also demonstrates the existence of a distinct endopeptidase activity with properties in agreement with rat spinal cord SP endopeptidase. In the context of previously shown altered levels of SP(1-7) in the VTA during morphine withdrawal both purified enzyme activities may turn out to be responsible.