In vitro inhibition of granulocyte function by timegadine, a new anti-inflammatory agent.

Timegadine, a new non-acidic anti-inflammatory agent, inhibits in a concentration-dependent way the FMLP-induced release of beta-glucuronidase and lysozyme from human granulocytes. Superoxide generation and directed migration are also inhibited. As this effect on granulocytes occurs at drug concentrations inhibiting the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism, the hypothesis that these two phenomena could be related is discussed.