Thermodynamic parameters delta G degree, delta H degree and delta S degree of the binding equilibrium of eleven ligands (seven agonists and four antagonists) to the serotonin 5-HT3 receptor subtype have been determined by affinity measurements carried out on rat cortex membranes at six different temperatures (0, 10, 20, 25, 30, 35 degrees C) and van't Hoff plots. Affinity constants were obtained from saturation experiments of [3H]endo-N-(9-methyl-9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-3-yl)-1-methyl-1-H-indazole- 3- carboxamide ([3H]BRL 43694, a selective 5-HT3 ligand) or by its displacement in inhibition assays for the other compounds. Van't Hoff plots were essentially linear in the temperature range investigated, showing that the delta Cp degree of the binding equilibrium is nearly zero. Thermodynamic parameters are in the range 18 < or = delta H degree < or = 53 kJ mol-1 and 202 < or = delta S degree < or = 320 J K-1 mol-1 for agonists and -16 < or = delta H degree < or = 0 kJ mol-1 and 70 < or = delta S degree < or = 179 J K-1 mol-1 for antagonists indicating that agonistic binding is totally entropy-driven while antagonistic binding is relatively less entropy- and more enthalpy-driven in the -T delta S degree versus delta H degree plot the thermodynamic data are clearly arranged in separate clusters for agonists and antagonists, which, therefore, turn out to be thermodynamically discriminated. Experimental results are discussed according to the following main points: (i) the approximate linearity of the delta H degree versus delta S degree plot in terms of enthalpy-entropy compensation and (ii) the fact that delta Cp degree approximately equal to 0 for practically all membrane receptors at variance with most reactions involving biomacromolecules in solution. Finally, the phenomenon of thermodynamical discrimination is reviewed and found to occur in five distinct membrane receptorial systems.