We studied the effects of bromfenac sodium (BF) on several types of acute ocular inflammation. BF inhibited the production of prostaglandins from rabbit iris-ciliary body by 50% at a concentration of 1.1 microM and was 3.8 and 10.9 times more potent than indomethacin (IM) and pranoprofen (PPF), respectively. BF inhibited both arachidonic acid- and carrageenan-induced conjunctival edema in rats in a dose-dependent manner. The ranking order of antiinflammatory drugs for inhibition in arachidonic acid- and carrageenan-induced conjunctival edema was BF = PPF > dexamethasone (DM) and BF > or = DM > PPF, respectively. BF inhibited an increase of aqueous protein after paracentesis in pigmented rabbits by 50% at a concentration of 0.0054% and was 8.1 and 4.1 times more potent than PPF and IM, respectively, BF inhibited an increase of aqueous protein after laser irradiation of pigmented rabbit iris by 50% at a concentration of 0.009% and was approximately 10 times more potent than PPF. These results suggest that BF may be a useful drug in therapy for conjunctivitis and post-operative inflammation.