Effect of nonapeptide fragments of uteroglobin and lipocortin I on oedema and mast cell degranulation.

The anti-inflammatory action of nonapeptide fragments of uteroglobin or lipocortin I known as antiflammins, was tested in the carrageenan or phospholipase A2 rat paw oedema model. The development of carrageenan-induced oedema in rats was significantly inhibited during the early and late phases of the oedema by the local administration of antiflammins 1 and 2. However, the peptides were not able to inhibit phospholipase A2-induced oedema. The time course of the anti-oedematous activity of nonapeptides after intradermal carrageenan injection may be attributed to their effect on mast cell degranulation and accumulation and activation of leukocytes. Naja naja phospholipase A2 exhibited strong histamine release-inducing activity, which may have contributed to the rat paw oedema induction. Surprisingly, antiflammins had a limited but significant inhibitory effect on histamine secretion.