Sex-related alteration of drug action in carrageenan-induced inflammation in the rat.

Twenty-four hours after treatment with carrageenan the duration of hexobarbital-induced hypnosis was prolonged in males but not females in Wistar rats bearing carrageenan-induced paw edema. Similar treatment with carrageenan led to significant inhibition of the metabolism of hexobarbital by hepatic enzymes obtained from male but not female animals. These data suggest that there is a sex-related difference in the ability of carrageenan to alter drug actions in rats.