This work reports the development of a test to evaluate the biologic effects of implant material used in orthopaedics and traumatology based on the examination of inflammation and allergic reactions at the cellular level. The variation in arachidonic acid metabolite production by murine peritoneal macrophage cultures was studied using different powders of implant material. Macrophage activation by zymosan served as a control. Mouse peritoneal macrophages were labeled with 14C-arachidonic acid, and the synthesis of cyclooxygenase products (6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha; prostaglandins F2 alpha, E2, D2; and thromboxane B2) and lipoxygenase products (hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids) was analyzed and quantified by chromatography. Results obtained through these assays support the reported clinical data that chrome and nickel increase the production of hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids by mouse peritoneal macrophages. HXPATRI, titan oxide, and monoclinic zircon also increase the production of hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids in contrast to other powders tested (alumina, HXPBL, chrome cobalt alloy, stainless steel 316L, titan, quadratic zircon), which have little effect on the production of arachidonic acid metabolites by the lipoxygenase pathway. It is concluded that determination of arachidonic acid metabolite production by murine peritoneal macrophage cultures is appropriate for evaluating implant material.