The bioflavinoid quercetin was found to exert at least three separate effects on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. (1) Concentrations of approximately 100 microM inhibited the membrane-associated magnesium adenosine triphosphatase by 60%-80% in either broken cell preparations or intact cells. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed the inhibition to be uncompetitive in nature. (2) Similar concentrations of quercetin inhibited respiratory burst activity of the cells as measured by oxygen consumption, glucose oxidation, or iodination of protein. All inhibitions were dose-dependent and were observed with either opsonized zymosan or phorbol myristate acetate as stimulus. (3) Quercetin likewise inhibited the transport of the nonmetabolizable hexose, 3H-2-deoxyglucose. These observations are most consistent with the hypothesis that quercetin exerts a generalized effect at the level of the cell membrane of the neutrophil.