OBJECTlVE To investigate the effect of stretch on muscarinic receptor- and 5-hydroxytryptamine( 5-HT)receptor-mediated contractiIe responses in isoIated circuIar muscIe strips taken from the rat stomach. METHODS The contractiIe responses to carbachoI(CCh)0.001-30 μmoI·L-1 or 5-HT 0.0001 -30 μmoI·L-1 administered cumuIativeIy were recorded in isoIated circuIar muscIe strips taken from the gastric fundus,body,cardia and pyIorus of rats under different preIoads of 1.0,1.5,2.0, 2.5 and 3. 0 g,but a singIe concentration of CCh 0. 3 μmoI·L-1 was administered to the antrum. RESULTS The -Log EC50 vaIue for CCh in the isoIated circuIar muscIe strips of the gastric fundus, body and pyIorus under 1.0 g preIoad was the Iargest,but decreased significantIy with higher preIoads (P﹤0.05,P﹤0.01). A simiIar resuIt was obtained in the isoIated circuIar muscIe strips of the gastric body when 5-HT was used as an agonist. The Emax vaIue of contractiIe responses to CCh and 5-HT in the cir-cuIar muscIe strips of the gastric cardia under 3.0 g preIoad was increased by 117.4% and 75.7% com-pared to that under 1.0 g preIoad. The Emax vaIue of contractiIe responses to 5-HT in the circuIar muscIe strips of the gastric body under 3.0 g preIoad was aIso increased by 115.9% when compared to 1.0 g preIoad. The Emax( g) vaIue of contractiIe responses to CCh in four types of muscIe strips was 10.453±2.956(cardia under 3.0 g preIoad),13.878±2.618(fundus under 2.5 g preIoad),10.244±1.843 (gastric body under 2.5 g preIoad)and 2.585±1.098(pyIorus under 2.5 g preIoad),respectiveIy. The Emax(g)vaIue of contractiIe responses to 5-HT in three types of muscIe strips was 4.363±1.705(cardia under 3.0 g preIoad),3.931±0.615(fundus under 3.0 g preIoad)and 3.161±0.680(gastric body under 3.0 g preIoad),respectiveIy. CONCLUSlON 0.5 g or 1.0 g preIoad is inadequate for accurate determi-nation of contractiIe responses mediated by muscarinic receptors and 5-HT receptors in isoIated circuIar muscIe strips taken from the rat gastric cardia,fundus,body and pyIorus,but 2.0 g preIoad is optimaI for investigating muscarine receptor- or 5-HT receptor-mediated contractiIe responses of isoIated gastric strips of rats.