OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to verify the indirect markers of muscle damage and inflammatory response following different velocities of eccentric exercise in women. METHODS: Nine women performed isokinetic eccentric actions at a slow velocity (Ecc30 group, 23.8 +/- 2.0 years; 57.8 +/- 7.0 Kg; 1.6 +/- 0.5 m) and another ten women performed at high velocity (Ecc210 group, 22.2 +/- 3.9 years; 56.4 +/- 6.0 Kg; 1.6 +/- 0.5 m). Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), range of motion (ROM), upper-arm circumference, muscle soreness, creatine kinase (CK), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured before, immediately after (except CK and cytokines), and 24, 48 and 72 h following exercise. Normalized changes in the variables following exercise were compared between velocities by a mixed model. RESULTS: The Ecc30 demonstrated greater CK activity than the Ecc210 (group vs. time interaction, P < 0.001). A group effect for circumference and ROM (P < 0.001) and a time effect for circumference (P = 0.003), ROM (P = 0.004), soreness (P < 0.001), TNF-alpha (P = 0.004), IL-6 (P = 0.001) and IL-10 (P = 0.041) were found. The Ecc30 showed large effect sizes for TNF-alpha and IL-6 compared to Ecc210, which presented small and moderate effect sizes, respectively. IL-10 showed a moderate effect size for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The velocity of the eccentric exercise does not modulate the systemic anti-inflammatory response, at least for a low number of muscle contractions performed by a small muscle group in women.