Leukotrienes (LT) LTA4, LTB4, LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 induced marked contractions of guinea pig lung parenchymal strips mounted in organ baths. These contractions were inhibited differentially (40-50% for LTA4, LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4, and 90% for LTB4) by indomethacin (20 micrograms.ml-1; 55.9 microM). Two novel inhibitors of thromboxane synthetase (OKY-1581 and OKY-046) reduced the myotropic activity of the lung strips and the release of prostaglandins and thromboxanes from the perfused guinea pig lungs stimulated by LTB4 and LTD4. The release of cyclooxygenase products prostaglandin F2 alpha, thromboxane B2 and 12-hydroxyheptadecatrienoic acid by guinea pig lungs following stimulation with LTB4 and LTD4 was also measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The role of prostaglandins and thromboxanes in the lung actions of leukotrienes was confirmed using a cascade superfusion system and classical organ baths. Although prostaglandins and thromboxanes contribute to the contractile effect of LTB4 on the guinea pig lung whereas they may play a lesser role in the action of the peptidoleukotrienes (approx. 40-50%), stimulation of their release by the peptidoleukotrienes is many times more effective than by LTB4.