Anti-inflammatory properties of human inflammatory exudate

An inflammatory exudate collected from a site of major surgery (partial gastrectomy) was found to possess definite anti-inflammatory properties when tested by the carrageenin oedema technique (a method widely adopted for the assessment of potential anti-rheumatic agents). Such anti-inflammatory properties could not be detected in the serum of normal healthy adults or in an abdominal asdtes fluid. The active component in the exudate showed several properties in common with a similar anti-inflammatory substance present in inflammatory exudates of animal origin.