1. The cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) of guinea-pig eosinophils was partially characterized and the effects of selective inhibitors of PDE isoenzymes upon opsonized zymosan (OZ)-stimulated respiratory burst were studied. 2. PDE activity in eosinophil lysates appeared to be membrane-associated, displayed substrate specificity for adenosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) versus guanosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) and was insensitive to cyclic GMP or Ca2+ and calmodulin. 3. The non-selective PDE inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of both OZ-stimulated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation and cyclic AMP hydrolysis. The type IV-selective PDE inhibitors, rolipram and denbufylline, also inhibited H2O2 generation and cyclic AMP hydrolysis in a concentration-dependent manner whilst SK&F 94120 and Org 9935 (type III-selective) and zaprinast (type Ia or V-selective) were ineffective. 4. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP, a cell-permeable, non-hydrolysable analogue of cyclic AMP, caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of H2O2 generation stimulated by OZ. Dibutyryl cyclic GMP was ineffective. 5. It is concluded that eosinophil respiratory burst activity induced by OZ can be regulated by intracellular cyclic AMP and that the levels of cyclic AMP are controlled exclusively by a rolipram- and denbufylline-sensitive PDE isoenzyme that resembles a type IV species.