Provided are peptides having melanocyte stimulating hormone activity. Also provided are vectors encoding these peptides and transgenic cells comprising the above vectors. Additionally, methods of reducing or preventing release of an inflammatory cytokine from mammalian cells are provided, as are methods for treating a mammal suffering from, or at risk for, a condition mediated by an inflammatory cytokine cascade. Further provided are methods of reducing levels of an inflammatory cytokine in a mammal, methods of treating an overweight mammal, methods of decreasing food intake in a mammal and methods of inhibiting innate immunity in the digestive system of a mammal.