The ability of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), an inhibitor of serotonin (5HT) biosynthesis to antagonize the antinociceptive effects of three classes of analgesics: opiates agonist (morphine), opiate agonist-antagonist (pentazocine) and non-steroid anti-inflammatory (aspirin and clonixin) were evaluated using the rat yeast paw test. The analgesic effect of equipotent doses of each of these drugs was abolished 48 h after PCPA (300 mg/kg i.p.) PCPA (150 mg/kg i.p.) reduced the relative potencies of morphine and aspirin to the same degree. The effect could not be attributed to a hyperalgesia or to an interaction with inflammatory mechanisms. PCPA did not alter the anti-edema activity of clonixin and it blocked morphine-induced increases in reaction times to pressure applied to the non-inflamed paw to the same extent as in the inflamed paw. The serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HTP, 80 mg/kg i.p.) restored the antinociceptive activity of all four drugs. These results demonstrate serotonin can modulate sensitivity to analgesics with differing mechanisms of action.