Cellular effects of glucocorticoids

Glucocorticoids are powerful anti-inflammatory agents used for the treatmen t of many diseases, including allergic inflammation and asthma. This end ef fect is a result of the summation of a diverse range of actions of glucocor ticoids not only on inflammatory cells but also on those cells that make up the stroma of inflamed tissues. This article comprises an account of the e ffects of glucocorticoids on individual leukocytes involved in the inflamma tory response, followed by an overview of how these mechanisms in concert m ay result in glucocorticoid amelioration of asthma and allergic inflammatio n.