The effects of antiarrhythmic drugs, aprindine, mexiletine and lidocaine, on rat erythrocytes, isolated rat hepatocytes and DPPC-liposomes were studied at various concentrations. Maximal inhibition of aprindine on the hypotonic hemolysis was observed at a concentration of 2 X 10(-4) M. In isolated rat hepatocytes, aprindine caused an increase in GOT leakage above 4 X 10(-4) M. Mexiletine and lidocaine caused a slight decrease in GOT. Only aprindine caused an increase in LDH leakage above 2 X 10(-4) M. In the relationship between the surface tension and pH conditions (pH 5.7, 7.4 and 8.0), aprindine and mexiletine indicated a depression of surface tension at a dose of 10(-4) M to 10(-3) M under all pH conditions. Lidocaine indicated a depression of surface tension at a dose of 10(-4) M at pH 8.0 only. Aprindine and mexiletine depressed the phase transition temperature (Tc) of DPPC-liposomes. The depression of Tc by aprindine was greater than that by mexiletine. The rank by order of surface activity was the same as that of enzyme leakage from hepatocytes, hemolysis of erythrocytes and depression of Tc in DPPC-liposomes in vitro. These results suggest that differences in membrane damage produced by antiarrhythmic drugs may by related to surface activity, which in turn may determine the extent of adsorption onto cell membranes.