Nerve growth factor has anti-inflammatory activity in the rat hindpaw oedema test

Nerve growth factor (NGF) affects the development of sympathetic neurones in neonatal rodents and, at very much lower levels, stimulates fibre growth from certain neurones in culture. At levels comparable to those used in culture and found in mammalian sera, NGF has recently been shown to suppress the hindpaw oedema induced in adult rats by injection of carrageenin. On a weight basis, NGF is ten times more active in this test than dexamethasone, and a thousand times more active than the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, indomethacin. It is equally effective given locally and systemically.