Experiments were performed on isolated, nonworking rat hearts perfused at constant pressure according to the Langendorff technique to evaluate the role of adenosine in hypercapnia-evoked coronary vasodilation. Hypercapnia/acidosis resulted in increases in heart rate and coronary flow rates in conjunction with a decrease in ventricular contractile tensions. The adenosine deaminase inhibitor erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA, 10 microM) reduced the heart rate and enhanced CO2-evoked increases in coronary vascular flow. 5-Iodotubercidin (1 microM), an inhibitor of adenosine kinase, caused a reduction in heart rate and enhanced coronary flow rates during hypercapnic perfusion. Adenosine deaminase (1 U/ml) significantly attenuated CO2-evoked increases in coronary vascular flow. These results extend those of previous investigations implicating adenosine in the regulation of coronary flow during conditions of respiratory or metabolic acidosis.