A study of the effect of slow-reacting substances of anaphylaxis on the rhesus monkey airway.

Slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A) generated from rat peritoneal mast cells was aerosolized to the airways of a group of rhesus monkeys with established airway responses to ascaris antigen. A selective effect of SRS-A on pulmonary resistance and a lesser but significant effect on compliance was observed which differed from antigen, histamine, carbocholine, or prostaglandin (PG) F2alpha responses. The airway recovery from the PR change is slower than that from histamine and simulated PGF2alpha and some antigen experiments. The cutaneous reactions in rhesus monkeys due to SRS-A could be blocked in a dose response pattern by FPL55712 which did not affect histamine responses in rhesus skin.