Biomaterial Database

Prostaglandins, arachidonic acid, and inflammation. 1980

F A Kuehl, and R W Egan

The enzymatic oxidation of arachidonic acid has been shown to yield potent pathological agents by two major pathways. Those of the prostaglandin (PG) pathway, particularly PGE2, have been implicated as inflammatory mediators for many years. The discovery and biological activities of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin as well as a destructive oxygen-centered radical as additional products of this biosynthetic pathway now require these to be considered as potential inflammatory mediators. Like PGE2, their biosynthesis is prevented by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. More recently, the alternative metabolic route, the lipoxygenase pathway, has been shown to yield a new class of arachidonic acid oxygenation products, called the leukotrienes, which also appear to be important inflammatory mediators. Unlike the prostaglandins, some of which play important roles as biological regulators, the actions of the lipoxygenase products appear to be exclusively of a pathological nature.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007249	Inflammation	A pathological process characterized by injury or destruction of tissues caused by a variety of cytologic and chemical reactions. It is usually manifested by typical signs of pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function.	Innate Inflammatory Response,Inflammations,Inflammatory Response, Innate,Innate Inflammatory Responses
D010084	Oxidation-Reduction	A chemical reaction in which an electron is transferred from one molecule to another. The electron-donating molecule is the reducing agent or reductant; the electron-accepting molecule is the oxidizing agent or oxidant. Reducing and oxidizing agents function as conjugate reductant-oxidant pairs or redox pairs (Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry, 1982, p471).	Redox,Oxidation Reduction
D010545	Peroxides	A group of compounds that contain a bivalent O-O group, i.e., the oxygen atoms are univalent. They can either be inorganic or organic in nature. Such compounds release atomic (nascent) oxygen readily. Thus they are strong oxidizing agents and fire hazards when in contact with combustible materials, especially under high-temperature conditions. The chief industrial uses of peroxides are as oxidizing agents, bleaching agents, and initiators of polymerization. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 11th ed)	Peroxide
D011453	Prostaglandins	A group of compounds derived from unsaturated 20-carbon fatty acids, primarily arachidonic acid, via the cyclooxygenase pathway. They are extremely potent mediators of a diverse group of physiological processes.	Prostaglandin,Prostanoid,Prostanoids
D002908	Chronic Disease	Diseases which have one or more of the following characteristics: they are permanent, leave residual disability, are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration, require special training of the patient for rehabilitation, or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation, or care (Dictionary of Health Services Management, 2d ed). For epidemiological studies chronic disease often includes HEART DISEASES; STROKE; CANCER; and diabetes (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 2).	Chronic Condition,Chronic Illness,Chronically Ill,Chronic Conditions,Chronic Diseases,Chronic Illnesses,Condition, Chronic,Disease, Chronic,Illness, Chronic
D000893	Anti-Inflammatory Agents	Substances that reduce or suppress INFLAMMATION.	Anti-Inflammatory Agent,Antiinflammatory Agent,Agents, Anti-Inflammatory,Agents, Antiinflammatory,Anti-Inflammatories,Antiinflammatories,Antiinflammatory Agents,Agent, Anti-Inflammatory,Agent, Antiinflammatory,Agents, Anti Inflammatory,Anti Inflammatories,Anti Inflammatory Agent,Anti Inflammatory Agents
D001095	Arachidonic Acids		Eicosatetraenoic Acids,Acids, Arachidonic,Acids, Eicosatetraenoic
D013481	Superoxides	Highly reactive compounds produced when oxygen is reduced by a single electron. In biological systems, they may be generated during the normal catalytic function of a number of enzymes and during the oxidation of hemoglobin to METHEMOGLOBIN. In living organisms, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE protects the cell from the deleterious effects of superoxides.	Superoxide Radical,Superoxide,Superoxide Anion
D016861	Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors	Compounds or agents that combine with cyclooxygenase (PROSTAGLANDIN-ENDOPEROXIDE SYNTHASES) and thereby prevent its substrate-enzyme combination with arachidonic acid and the formation of eicosanoids, prostaglandins, and thromboxanes.	Cyclo-Oxygenase Inhibitor,Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor,Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase Inhibitor,Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase Inhibitors,Prostaglandin Synthase Inhibitor,Prostaglandin Synthase Inhibitors,Prostaglandin Synthesis Antagonist,Prostaglandin Synthesis Antagonists,Cyclo-Oxygenase Inhibitors,Inhibitors, Cyclo-Oxygenase,Inhibitors, Cyclooxygenase,Inhibitors, Prostaglandin Synthase,Inhibitors, Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthase,Antagonist, Prostaglandin Synthesis,Antagonists, Prostaglandin Synthesis,Cyclo Oxygenase Inhibitor,Cyclo Oxygenase Inhibitors,Inhibitor, Cyclo-Oxygenase,Inhibitor, Cyclooxygenase,Inhibitor, Prostaglandin Synthase,Inhibitors, Cyclo Oxygenase,Inhibitors, Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase,Synthase Inhibitor, Prostaglandin,Synthesis Antagonist, Prostaglandin