The effects of phenol, guaiacol and m-cresol on erythrocytes, hepatocytes, dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC)-liposomes and surface tension were studied at various concentrations. Phenol at 10 mM caused a slight inhibition of hypotonic hemolysis in rat erythrocytes. Guaiacol at 4 and 10 mM and m-cresol at 0.6 to 10 mM caused a significant inhibition of hypotonic hemolysis. In the enzyme leakage from isolated rat hepatocytes, phenol at 0.001 to 0.4 mM and 2 to 10 mM, guaiacol at 2 to 10 mM and m-cresol at 0.001 to 4 mM caused an inhibition in GOT leakage. The leakage of GPT from hepatocytes was inhibited by phenol at 0.4 to 10 mM, guaiacol at 2 to 10 mM, and m-cresol at 0.001 to 4 mM. m-Cresol at 10 mM caused increases in GOT and GPT leakage. The inhibition of phenol and m-cresol on the LDH leakage in hepatocytes were observed at a concentration of 0.001 mM and 0.1 to 1 mM, respectively. Guaiacol or m-cresol at 10 mM caused an increase in LDH leakage. Phase-transition temperature of DPPC-liposomes was depressed by phenol and m-cresol at 1 to 10 mM and by guaiacol at 5 and 10 mM. Guaiacol at 1 and 10 mM and m-cresol at 10 mM caused a depression of surface tension, but phenol caused no change in surface tension. The order of effects on erythrocyte, hepatocyte and DPPC-liposome membranes was m-cresol greater than phenol greater than or equal to guaiacol. In the present study, phenol and its related compound showed a positive correlation between their effects on various membranes and germicidal effects as evaluated by the phenol coefficient, but the effects were not related to a depression of surface tension.