Asthma and leukotrienes: antileukotrienes as novel anti-asthmatic drugs

Antileukotriene drugs inhibit the formation or action of leukotrienes, whic h are potent lipid mediators generated from arachidonic acid in lung tissue and inflammatory cells. The leukotrienes were discovered in basic studies of arachidonic acid metabolism in leucocytes 20 years ago and were found to display a number of biological actitivites which may contribute to airway obstruction. Clinical studies with antileukotriene drugs have indeed demons trated that leukotrienes are significant mediators of airway obstruction ev oked by many common trigger factors in asthma, Moreover, treatment trials h ave established that this new class of drugs has beneficial antiasthmatic p roperties, and several antileukotrienes have recently been introduced as ne w therapy of asthma. This communication presents an overview of the biosynt hesis of leukotrienes, their biological effects and clinical effects of ant ileukotrienes in the treatment of asthma.