AN OVERVIEW OF GLUCOCORTICOID ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIONS

Glucocorticoids (GC) exert a variety of important anti-inflammatory ac tions. We have studied their effects in allergic inflammation and beli eve that their antiallergic effects reflect their anti-inflammatory ac tivities in general.: These effects include inhibition of cytokine and other mediator secretion, inhibition of leucocyte priming in eosinoph ils and neutrophils, reduction of vascular permeability, inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolite and platelet activating factor (PAF) rele ase, synergistic or permissive effects on responses to other mediators , such as catecholamines and other endogenous hormone-like molecules, and modulation of enzyme systems involved in inflammation. Glucocortic oid actions are thus multifaceted; this feature explains both their un equalled efficacy in inflammatory diseases and the difficulty in repla cing them with other medications that have a uni-dimensional profile o f action.