The effects of the long lasting and potent PAF receptor antagonist UK74505 were assessed on the local and remote injuries following ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) in rats. In a severe model of ischaemia (120 min) and reperfusion (120) injury, in addition to the local and remote increases in vascular permeability and neutrophil accumulation, there was significant tissue haemorrhage, blood neutropenia, systemic hypotension and elevated local and systemic TNF-alpha levels. Post-ischaemic treatment with the selectin blocker fucoidin (10 mg kg(-1)) prevented neutrophil accumulation in tissue and, in consequence, all the local and systemic injuries following severe I/R. Treatment with an optimal dose of UK74505 (1 mg kg(-1)) also reversed local and remote neutrophil accumulation, increases in vascular permeability and intestinal haemorrhage. UK74505 partially inhibited blood neutropenia and reperfusion-induced hypotension. Interestingly, both fucoidin and UK74505 prevented the local, but not systemic, increases of TNF-alpha levels following severe I/R injury, demonstrating an important role of migrating cells for the local production of TNF-alpha. However, the results do not support a role for PAF as an intermediate molecule in the production of systemic TNF-alpha. The beneficial effects of UK74505 and other PAF receptor antagonists in models of I/R injury in animals and the safety of UK74505 use in man warrant further investigations of the use of this drug as preventive measure for I/R injury in humans.