Effect of selected antiinflammatory agents and other drugs on zymosan, arachidonic acid, PAF and carrageenan induced paw edema in the mouse.

Zymosan, carrageenan, arachidonic acid and platelet activating factor (PAF) were used to induce inflammation (edema) in the paws of mice. Antiinflammatory drugs (e.g., BW 755C and indomethacin) as well as cyproheptadine (mediator antagonist), theophylline (phosphodiesterase inhibitor) and guanabenz (alpha adrenoceptor agonist) showed the greatest efficacy in the carrageenan and zymosan models. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory (NSAIDs) agents showed greater activity in the arachidonic acid (AA) paw edema model than the dual 5-lipoxygenase (LO)/cyclooxygenase (CO) inhibitors. The PAF model was insensitive to NSAIDs but showed some activity with drugs possessing inhibitory 5-LO activity (e.g., phenidone, BW 755C) and the mediator antagonist, cyproheptadine. Suramin, a complement inhibitor, as expected, was active only against zymosan-induced edema. In conclusion, the inhibitory activities of dual 5-LO/CO inhibitors and NSAIDs were not different in the zymosan, carrageenan and AA edema models in the mouse; however, some selectivity for 5-LO inhibitors was observed in the PAF model.