Platelet-activating factor (PAF-acether) injected into guinea-pigs induced platelet-dependent bronchoconstriction and thrombocytopenia. Treatment of the animals with sulphinpyrazone suppressed bronchoconstriction without affecting thrombocytopenia. When tested ex vivo and in vitro, sulphinpyrazone suppressed the PAF-acether-induced platelet release reaction, as measured by the release of ATP, more efficiently than platelet aggregation. In contrast, bronchoconstriction and thrombocytopenia in vivo, as well as platelet aggregation and the release reaction ex vivo and in vitro, induced by arachidonic acid (AA), were suppressed by sulphinpyrazone. This effect is accounted for by the known anti-arachidonate cyclooxygenase activity of sulphinpyrazone. Finally, aggregation by ADP was only marginally inhibited by sulphinpyrazone, and the inhibition was easily surmounted when the amounts of ADP added were increased. Sulphinpyrazone exerts a specific and cyclooxygenase-independent protective effect towards platelet activation by PAF-acether, which results in inhibition of platelet-dependent bronchoconstriction even though aggregation, and consequently in vivo thrombocytopenia, may persist.