KININS AND EDEMA INDUCED BY DIFFERENT CARRAGEENANS

Abstract

The level of edema induced in the paw of the Wistar rat by local injection of 3 different carrageenans demonstrated the inflammatory activity of these sulfated polysaccharides. The activity is greatest for the lambda type, reduced for the iota compound and smallest for the kappa carrageenan. Reduction of plasmatic stores of kininogens by ellagic acid or inhibition of kinin formation by hexadimethrine reduces the inflammatory reaction induced by the 3 carrageenans. Inhibition of kininases by phenanthroline increases edema. Thus the kinin system is involved in the development of this type of edema. In Brown-Norway rats, which lack plasmatic kallikrein and kininogens, the inflammatory activity of the 3 carrageenans is very small. By comparing the activity in Wistar rats and in Brown-Norway rats, it is concluded that the kinin system is the most important factor in the development of the inflammatory reaction induced by the 3 types of carrageenans. [Carrageenan-induced edema is used to test the activity of antinflammatory drugs.].