Proinflammatory cytokines released during the course of infection elicit numerous behavioral and metabolic changes. The decrease in food intake that accompanies infection is mediated in part by interleukin-1 (IL-1). Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a neuropeptide released during a meal, decreases food intake, and previous research suggests that CCK mediates the anorectic action of IL-1. The effects of estrogen on food intake are also thought to involve CCK, as the satiety action of CCK is increased by estradiol in both intact and ovariectomized rats. Estradiol also modulates many of the behavioral and physiological effects of IL-1. The present experiment examined the ability of the CCK(A) receptor antagonist devazepide to block the effects of IL-1 and estradiol on food intake in female rats. Adult animals were ovariectomized and given two daily subcutaneous injections of estradiol benzoate (EB; 5.0 microg) or the oil vehicle 3 weeks after surgery. Three days after treatment onset, animals were pretreated with devazepide or its vehicle 30 min prior to intraperitoneal injections of IL-1beta (4.0 microg/kg) or saline given 1 h before light offset. Food and water intake was measured following 2 h of spontaneous feeding. The results indicate that devazepide failed to reverse the anorectic action of IL-1beta, although the effects of estradiol on food intake were blocked by devazepide. These data do not support a role for CCK in IL-1-induced anorexia, and suggest that cytokines may act directly on neural systems involved in the control of food intake.