Sphingosine is a naturally occurring long-chain amino diol with potent inhibitory activity against protein kinase C in vitro and in cell systems. The use of sphingosine as a pharmacological tool to probe the activity of protein kinase C has been hampered by its amphiphilicity, possible contamination of its commercial preparations, and the existence of other targets for its action. To address these problems, high-purity D-erythro-sphingosine was prepared and employed to develop an approach for the use of sphingosine as a pharmacological agent. The addition of synthetic D-erythro-sphingosine to intact human platelets resulted in quick uptake and preferential partitioning into the particulate fraction. It was rapidly metabolized by intact platelets, 60% being degraded within 1 min after addition. Sphingosine was found to be a potent inhibitor of gamma-thrombin-induced aggregation and secretion of washed human platelets. Multiple criteria indicated that this effect is probably mediated through the inhibition of protein kinase C: (1) sphingosine inhibited protein kinase C activity in intact platelets with a similar dose/response to its inhibition of platelet aggregation and secretion; (2) sphingosine inhibited phorbol binding to intact platelets under identical conditions and with a similar dose-dependence; (3) exogenous dioctanoylglycerol overcame sphingosine's inhibition of platelet activation. The effectiveness of sphingosine in inhibiting platelet activation was primarily determined by the ratio of sphingosine to total number of platelets. These data are discussed in relation to a general approach for the use of sphingosine and other parameters for determining biological activities of protein kinase C.