Glucocorticoids: long term treatment

In pharmacologic doses, glucocorticoids are used to suppress various allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. They are also used as post-transplantation immunosuppressants to prevent the acute transplant rejection. Commonly used drugs are prednisolone, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone and cortisol (hydrocortisone). Glucocorticoids suppress both the cell-mediated and humoral immunity. They diminishes both B cell clone expansion and antibody synthesis. Glucocorticoids influence all types of inflammatory events, no matter what their cause. The cyclooxygenase (both COX-1 and COX-2) expression is also suppressed, potentiating the effect. In other words, the two main products in inflammation Prostaglandins and Leukotrienes are inhibited by the action of Glucocorticoids.

 

In order to proceed further, you need to have an account on IDG.
Create a new account now

Registered users, you can login below to access this page.

login