Betaxolol is a highly selective beta 1-adrenoceptor antagonist without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity. In this study, the antihypertensive effect of betaxolol was investigated in experimental hypertensive rats; and the antihypertensive mechanism was also studied. Betaxolol (1 and 10 mg/kg, p.o.) produced acute hypotensive effects in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), renal hypertensive rats, deoxycorticosterone/saline hypertensive rats and normotensive rats. The effect was particularly marked in SHR. Furthermore, daily oral administration of betaxolol to SHR for 3 weeks showed sustained antihypertensive effects without producing tolerance. In pithed rats, the pressor response induced by an electrical stimulation of the spinal cord was inhibited by both betaxolol and atenolol. However, only betaxolol reduced the pressor response to norepinephrine. These findings suggest that a certain relaxing effect on peripheral vascular beds in addition to inhibition of presynaptic beta-adrenoceptors may contribute to the antihypertensive mechanism of betaxolol.