Effects of serum albumin, indomethacin and histamine H1‐antagonists on Paf‐acether‐induced inflammatory responses in the skin of experimental animals and man

Abstract

Cutaneous responses to synthetic platelet activating factor (Paf‐acether) have been studied in guinea‐pig and human skin. Intradermal injection of Paf‐acether elicited an acute inflammatory response in guinea‐pig skin (assessed by means of radioisotopic techniques) and acute oedema formation in human skin (assessed by means of weal volume and flare area). Acute inflammatory responses in guinea‐pig and human skin are potentiated by the presence of serum albumin, a phospholipid carrier. Acute inflammatory responses induced by Paf‐acether in guinea‐pig and human skin are not significantly affected by concomitant administration of the cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. Acute inflammatory responses induced by Paf‐acether in guinea‐pig and human skin are slightly modified by the H₁‐receptor antagonists, mepyramine and chlorpheniramine. These results indicate that the acute inflammatory response induced by Paf‐acether is independent of cyclo‐oxygenase products of arachidonic acid and that histamine release has a minor contribution to the inflammatory response induced by Paf‐acether.