Abstract

Inflammation is the response of the immune system to injury and infection. As such, it is a critical component of multiple disease states, including anaphylaxis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and asthma. Inflammation is a complex process that is composed of multiple stages – the main stages being a pro-inflammatory stage followed by a pro-resolution phase. Eicosanoids and cytokines are critical biochemical mediators involved in both the initiation of the inflammatory response and the resolution of the inflammatory response. Some biochemical mediators are specifically pro-inflammatory or pro-resolution, while others perform both functions. These biochemical mediators play key roles, and thus, the production and inhibition of these mediators are often targets for pharmaceutical intervention.