Site of anti-inflammatory action of dexamethasone in rabbit skin.

Systemic pretreatment of rabbits with dexamethasone results in a time-dependent inhibition of oedema responses caused by intradermal injection of both 'direct-acting' and 'neutrophil-dependent' stimuli. Local injection of actinomycin D, an inhibitor of RNA synthesis, inhibits this effect. Our studies suggest that a major action of dexamethasone in this model may be a local inhibition of increased permeability of the vascular endothelium.