The role of steroids in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock remains controversial, and it is not known if a possible beneficial effect is due to inhibition of the cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism. In this investigation we studied the effect of methylprednisolone (MP), the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (IM), and the lipoxygenase inhibitor diethylcarbamazine (DE) on survival rate in an experimental trauma-sepsis model in rats consisting of laparotomy and intravenous infusion of live E. coli. Groups of rats received saline (control) or MP (30 mg/kg) intravenously 30 min before or after induction of trauma-sepsis. In other groups of animals IM (4 mg/kg) or DE (0.2 mmol/kg) was administered intravenously 30 min before trauma-sepsis. Survival rate was significantly improved by MP or DE given 30 min before trauma-sepsis while the other treatments did not affect the outcome. The results indicate that the beneficial effect of MP on survival rate in the present trauma-sepsis model did not reflect inhibited prostaglandin synthesis but might have been due to inhibited production of leukotrienes.