Kinins and anti-inflammatory steroids

1. This investigation was designed to re-examine the possibility that anti-inflammatory steroids interfere with the kinin-forming system.2. We conclude that the anti-inflammatory action of corticosteroids cannot be explained by the inhibition of kinin formation. This view is based on the following findings.3. Neither hydrocortisone nor prednisolone nor dexamethasone inhibited the activation or activity of intrinsic plasma kinin forming enzymes resulting from dilution, incubation with kininase inhibitors, or exposure to glass, monosodium urate microcrystals or to precipitated complexes of rheumatoid factor and aggregated human gamma-globulin.4. Hydrocortisone did not inhibit the action of the active kinin-forming enzymes, human salivary or urinary kallikrein, or plasmin on purified kininogen.5. Hydrocortisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone did not inhibit the hydrolysis of benzoyl-arginine-ethyl ester by human plasmin, plasma kallikrein or hog pancreatic kallikrein.6. Kinin formation occurred normally in plasma taken from two patients receiving betamethasone and one receiving prednisone.