The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the anticholinergic and calcium antagonistic drug terodiline, N-tert-butyl-1-methyl-3,3-diphenylpropylamine, have been studied in beagle dogs. The bioavailability was about 25% (0.15 and 0.5 mg/kg), the terminal half-life 3 hr, the systemic clearance 40 ml/min..kg, the volume of distribution (V beta) about 7 l/kg and the unbound fraction in serum 0.14. p-Hydroxyterodiline and p-hydroxy-m-methoxyterodiline were quantitated and constituted 15-40% and 25%, respectively, of the amount excreted in urine (about 60% of the dose) and were the main metabolites, as in man. The dog was used as an experimental model to study the chronotropic effect. An increased heart rate was observed after acute administration of high doses of terodiline as well as after p-hydroxyterodiline. A 20% increase in heart rate was observed at a mean serum concentration of 1086 and 1010 micrograms/l following intravenous injection of terodiline or p-hydroxyterodiline, respectively. The corresponding unbound concentrations were 150 and 474 micrograms/l. The potency ratios of terodiline/p-hydroxyterodiline was 0.9 +/- 0.2 (based on total concentrations) and 3.2 +/- 0.8 (based on unbound concentrations). The estimated potency of parent drug and main metabolite and the fact that p-hydroxyterodiline constitutes 10-20% of the terodiline steady-state level in man, indicate that the contribution of the metabolite to the chronotropic effect observed in clinical studies is minor.