The family of peptides C3a, C4a, C5a, and C5a des-arginine produced in the serum during complement activation. They produce smooth muscle contraction, mast cell histamine release, affect platelet aggregation, and act as mediators of the local inflammatory process. The order of anaphylatoxin activity from strongest to weakest is C5a, C3a, C4a, and C5a des-arginine. The latter is the so-called “classical” anaphylatoxin but shows no spasmogenic activity though it contains some chemotactic ability.
Complement components C3a, C4a, and C5a, which cause degranulation of mast cells and release of chemical mediators that promote the smooth muscle spasm, increased vascular permeability, increased mucus secretion, and attraction of neutrophils and eosinophils associated with systemic anaphylaxis.