Hydrogen sulphide is a mediator of carrageenan-induced hindpaw oedema in the rat

Abstract

Hydrogen sulphide (H 2S) is a naturally occurring gas, with potent vasodilator activity. In this report, we identify a role for H 2S in carrageenan-induced hindpaw oedema in the rat. Intraplantar injection of carrageenan (150 μl, 2% (w v -1)) resulted in an increase in hindpaw H 2S synthesising enzyme activity and increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. Pretreatment (i.p. 60 min before carrageenan) with DL-propargylglycine (PAG, 25-75 mg kg -1), an inhibitor of the H2S synthesising enzyme cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), significantly reduced carrageenan-induced hindpaw oedema in a dose-dependent manner (e.g. increase in hindpaw weight at 3h, saline: 0.12 ± 0.017 g; carrageenan, 1.39 ± 0.037 g; PAG, 50 mg kg -1, 1.11 ± 0.06 g, n = 10) and MPO activity (fold increase) in the hindpaw (saline: 1.0 ± 0.12; carrageenan, 2.92 ± 0.45g; PAG, 50 mg kg -1, 1.1 ± 0.22, n = 10); PAG (50 mg kg -1) also inhibited H 2S synthesising enzyme activity (nmol μg DNA -1) in the hindpaw in a dose-dependent manner (saline, 0.46 ± 0.05; carrageenan, 0.71 ± 0.08 g; PAG, 50 mg kg -1, 0.17 ± 0.05, n = 10). © 2005 Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved.