The formation of pleural effusion during pulmonary edema is an important physiological mechanism of resolution of alveolar flooding. In cases of pulmonary edema resulting from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) these effusions are exudative, having high protein load. To this end, the effect of salbutamol in the presence of protein, on the ion transport properties of the sheep parietal pleura was investigated by Ussing chamber experiments. Our results show that salbutamol increases ion transport in the presence of protein in sheep parietal pleura by stimulation of β(2)-adrenergic receptors since this effect was completely abolished by the specific β(2)-adrenergic blocker, ICI-118551. This finding may be of importance regarding the acceleration of the resolution of protein-rich pleural effusions occurring in cases of ARDS.