The rate of cardiac fatty acids oxidation is regulated by the activity of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I (CPT-I), which is inhibited by malonyl-CoA. We tested the hypothesis that the activity of the enzyme responsible for malonyl-CoA degradation, malonyl-CoA decarboxlyase (MCD), regulates myocardial malonyl-CoA content and the rate of fatty acid oxidation during demand-induced ischemia in vivo. The myocardial content of malonyl-CoA was increased in anesthetized pigs using a specific inhibitor of MCD (CBM-301106), which we hypothesized would result in inhibition of CPT-I, reduction in fatty acid oxidation, a reciprocal activation of glucose oxidation, and diminished lactate production during demand-induced ischemia. Under normal flow conditions treatment with the MCD inhibitor significantly reduced oxidation of exogenous fatty acids by 82%, shifted the relationship between arterial fatty acids and fatty acid oxidation downward, and increased glucose oxidation by 50%. Ischemia was induced by a 20% flow reduction and beta-adrenergic stimulation, which resulted in myocardial lactate production. During ischemia MCD inhibition elevated malonyl-CoA content 4-fold, reduced free fatty acid oxidation rate by 87%, and resulted in a 50% decrease in lactate production. Moreover, fatty acid oxidation during ischemia was inversely related to the tissue malonyl-CoA content (r=-0.63). There were no differences between groups in myocardial ATP content, the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase, or myocardial contractile function during ischemia. Thus modulation of MCD activity is an effective means of regulating myocardial fatty acid oxidation under normal and ischemic conditions, and reducing lactate production during demand-induced ischemia.