TARGETS FOR ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS

Aspirin-like nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, corticosteroids, an d methotrexate are the mainstays of therapy in rheumatoid arthritis an d other inflammatory diseases. It is now clear that these agents share at least one characteristic: All of these agents diminish the adhesiv e interactions required for the accumulation of white blood cells at a n inflamed site. We discuss the biochemical and functional mechanisms by which these drugs alter the inflammatory response, and the potentia l for development of new antiinflammatory agents based upon these phar macological actions.