Prostanoids and Drugs

This volume, the sixth in the series "The Prostaglandin System" assembles most of the lecture notes from the International School of Pharmacology on "Prostanoids and Drugs" that took place in Erice, Sicily, at the "Ettore Majorana Center for Scientific Culture" on Sept 5-15, 1989. The course, which was a NATO Advanced Study Institute, comprised detailed discussion of basic metabolic pathways of arachidonic acid as well as their location in the everyday practice of clinical medicine. The current status of our knowledge on drugs affecting prostanoid metabolic pathways, and/or their functinal effects, together with the use of prostanoids as drugs, has been reviewed in depth by distinguished experts. In certain instances a few chapters might overlap with others to present divergent viewpoints of authors, for a better assessment of the complexity of eicosanoid biology. It is likely that as our knowledge of prostanoids in different diseases increases, new diseases may also be targets for drugs related to these lipid mediators. We hope that this boo~will encourage basic scientists and clinicians to pursue additional biomedical investigations along these lines of inquiry. Moreover we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all the invited speakers not only for their important contributions before and during the course but also for their ability in creating an atmosphere in which all questions were legitimate and all lines of investigations were encouraged.

Inhalt

Molecular Biology of Leukotriene Formation.- Fundamental Mass Spectrometry and Eicosanoids Research.- Quantitative Analysis of Eicosanoids by Gas Chromatography Mass-Spectrometry.- Formation and Mechanism of Action of Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acids.- Reactive Eicosanoid Intermediates and Transcellular Biosynthesis.- Metabolism of Sulfidopeptide Leukotrienes.- Lipoxins: Biosynthesis, Metabolism and Physiological Functions.- Leukotrienes in the Lung and Cardiovascular System.- Blood Platelets, Aspirin and Prevention of Vascular Disease.- Cardioprotective Effects of Prostacyclin Analogues.- New Pharmacological Agents Which Antagonize Leukotriene D4 and Platelet Activating Factor.- 9?, 11?-Prostaglandin F2: a New Prostanoid, That Inhibits Platelet Aggregation and Constricts Blood Vessels.- Stenosis and Vascular Damage as an Experimental Model of Arterial Thrombosis: a Role for Prostanoids.- Renal and Platelet Eicosanoids in Chronic Glomerular Disease.- Role of Leukotrienes in Experimental Gastric Ulceration.- Role of Leukotrienes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.- Gastric Cytoprotection.- Gastric Mucosal Damage by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.- Aspects of Eicosanoids in Inflammation.- Modulation of the Inflammatory Potential of the 5-Lipoxygenase Pathway by Alternative Fatty Acids and Cytokines.- Inhibitors of Leukotriene Action: Potential Use in Asthma, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Cutaneous Inflammation.- Novel 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitors in Inflammation and Asthma.- Eicosanoids as Regulators of Eicosanoid Release in Macrophages:Impact for Exacerbation of Tissue Damage by Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.- Eicosanoid Regulation of Macrophage-Mediated Anti-Tumor Function.- Interactions Between Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Cancer Chemotherapy.