Partial purification of the anti-inflammatory factor(s) in inflammatory exudate.

1. The carrageenin foot test was established as a sensitive and reliable assay procedure for determining the anti-inflammatory activity of inflammatory exudates.2. Incubation alone at a temperature above 70 degrees C or with pronase at 37 degrees C destroyed the anti-inflammatory activity of exudate.3. The anti-inflammatory component of exudate was partially precipitated by 50% ammonium sulphate.4. A partial purification process was devised using Sephadex G-150 gel filtration and DEAE and CM cellulose ion exchange chromatography to obtain at least a 24 fold purification.5. Measurements of 11-hydroxycorticosteroid levels indicated that steroids were not involved in the mechanism by which the exudate produced its anti-inflammatory effects.