The effect of the local anesthetics SKF 525-A, dibucaine, tetracaine, procaine, and benzocaine on sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles was studied. All the anesthetics tested inhibited the phosphorylation of the Ca(2+)-ATPase by Pi in a competitive manner. Tertiary amine and positively charged anesthetics, in addition to competing with Pi, also decreased the apparent affinity of the ATPase for Mg2+. There was a good correlation between the octanol/water partition coefficients and the inhibitory activity of the different anesthetics. All the anesthetics tested induced a 5- to 10-fold increase in the rate of Ca2+ efflux. This was promoted by the same drug concentration that inhibited the phosphorylation of the ATPase by Pi. The effect on Ca2+ efflux was antagonized by the ligands of the ATPase (Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, MgATP, and ADP) and by the organic polyamines ruthenium red, spermine, spermidine, and putrescine. The natural anion heparin was found to potentiate the effect of the positively charged anesthetics on the rate of Ca2+ efflux. It is concluded that the local anesthetics increase the Ca2+ efflux through a nonenergized state of the Ca(2+)-ATPase, rather than promoting a nonspecific Ca2+ leakage through the membrane.