We have studied the role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in monocrotaline pulmonary hypertension and chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats using p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) which inhibits 5-HT synthesis. We measured right ventricular mean systolic pressure (Prvs), right ventricular hypertrophy, medial thickness of muscular pulmonary arteries, and muscularization of pulmonary arterioles 17 days after a single dose of monocrotaline (60 mg/kg) and after 26 days of chronic hypobaric hypoxia (380 mm Hg). In monocrotaline pulmonary hypertension, pretreatment with PCPA (500 mg/kg) was associated with significant reductions (p less than 0.05) in Prvs (29%), right ventricular hypertrophy (33%), and medial thickness of muscular pulmonary arteries (14%). In chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, pretreatment with PCPA was associated with significant reductions in Prvs (20%), right ventricular hypertrophy (28%), medial thickness of muscular pulmonary arteries (14%), and muscularization of pulmonary arterioles (47%). 5-HT may play a role in the development of monocrotaline pulmonary hypertension and chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats.