INTRODUCTIONRadiation therapy for malignant pelvic, abdominal, or retroperitoneal diseases has the concurrent problem of radiation-induced bowel injury. Such injuries complicate current treatment regimens and preclude the use of larger radiation dosage and potentially more curable treatment schedules. The response of the microvasculature to radiation is widely regarded as the doselimiting factor for untoward effects to the intestine. Recent morphological and intravital microscopic studies have documented an early in¯ammatory response, appearing only a few hours after irradiation and characterized by leucocyte in®ltration into the irradiated organs. 1±3 This in¯ammatory response has been implicated in the vascular alterations that result from SUMMARY Background: In¯ammatory cells contribute to the acute and sub-acute sequelae of radiation therapy. Tepoxalin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase that suppresses NF±jB activation, has potent anti-in¯am-matory activity. Aims: To assess the effects of tepoxalin on radiationinduced in¯ammatory damage, and determine its mechanisms of action. Methods: Leucocyte rolling, adhesion and emigration, and albumin leakage were determined by intra-vital microscopy in rat mesenteric venules. NF±jB activation was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and endothelial intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression by the radiolabelled antibody technique. Groups of irradiated rats were treated with tepoxalin, Nacetyl-L-cysteine, zileuton (lipoxygenase inhibitor), or vehicle.