Some of the dioxolanes produce pharmacological effects that have much in common with phencyclidine and phencyclidine-like drugs. Dioxadrol can be resolved into two enantiomers, dexoxadrol and levoxadrol. Dexoxadrol has an affinity for phencyclidine receptors that is much greater than that of levoxadrol, but dexoxadrol and levoxadrol have nearly equal affinities for sigma receptors. The systematic analysis of the relative potencies of dexoxadrol and levoxadrol can be used as an approach to define effects mediated by phencyclidine vs sigma receptors. Compounds that act on phencyclidine receptors, as well as affecting behavior, alter body temperature in the rat. The purpose of the present study was to compare and contrast the effects of the acute administration of dexoxadrol, levoxadrol, MK-801 and phencyclidine on body temperature in the rat. Dexoxadrol and levoxadrol (5.0, 10.0, 20.0 or 40.0 mg/kg), MK-801 (0.12, 0.6 or 1.2 mg/kg) or phencyclidine (5.0, 10.0 or 20.0 mg/kg) were administered subcutaneously and body temperature was measured. Both dexoxadrol and MK-801 produced hyperthermia but levoxadrol did not affect body temperature. In contrast to the hyperthermic effects of dexoxadrol and MK-801, phencyclidine produced hypothermia. These findings indicate that hypothermia induced by phencyclidine is not due to interactions with phencyclidine receptors and, while dexoxadrol, MK-801 and phencyclidine may share some similar receptor binding and behavioral characteristics, they can be differentiated on the basis of their effects on body temperature.