3-(1,4-Diacylpyrrol-2-yl)propionic acids were designed as inhibitors of cytosolic phospholipase A2. Enzyme inhibition was assayed by evaluation of calcium ionophore A23187-induced arachidonic acid release from bovine platelets. While the synthesized bisacyl compound 3-[3,5-dimethyl-4-octadecanoyl-1-(3-phenylpropionyl)pyrrol-2-yl] propionic acid was inactive at 33 microM, the related monoacylated 3-(3,5-dimethyl-4-octadecanoylpyrrol-2-yl)-propionic acid and 3-(1,3,5-trimethyl-4-octadecanoylpyrrol-2-yl)-propionic acid proved to be inhibitors of cytosolic phospholipase A2(IC50: 24 microM and 13 microM, respectively).