1. Castor oil (2 ml orally) produced diarrhoea in rats 1-7 h after challenge, which was associated with gross damage to the duodenal and jejunal mucosa. 2. The injury was accompanied by release of acid phosphatase into the gut lumen, indicating cellular injury. 3. Intraperitoneal injection of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 2.5-50 mg kg-1 twice), prevented the diarrhoea. The dose of L-NAME (50 mg kg-1) completely blocked the diarrhoea but increased the release of acid phosphatase and worsened the gross damage. 4. The NO donating compound, isosorbide-5-mononitrate (IMN, 150 mg kg-1 twice) reversed the effects of L-NAME (50 mg kg-1) on castor oil-induced diarrhoea, gross damage and acid phosphatase release. 5. The apparent dissociation of the diarrhoeal and intestinal mucosal damaging effects of castor oil suggest that NO has a protective effect on the rat duodenal and jejunal mucosa, but that NO mediates, in part, the diarrhoea effect of this laxative.