Immunopharmacology of the Gastrointestinal System (Hardcover)

The consequences of diseases involving the immune system such as AIDS and chronic inflammatory diseases such as bronchial asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, now account for a considerable economic burden to governments worldwide. In response there has been an enormous research effort investigating the basic mechanisms underlying such diseases and a drive to identify novel therapeutic applications for their prevention and treatment.;Though a plethora of immunological studies have been published in recent years, little has been written about the implications of such research for drug development. As a result, this area has not gained the prominence of other new fields such as molecular pharmacology of neurophamacology and a focal information source for the many pharmacologists interested in diseases of the immune system remains unpublished. "The Handbook of Immunopharmacology" series is a collection of volumes on aspects of immunopharmacology. Editors have been sought for each volume who are not only active in their respective area of expertise but who also have a distinctly pharmacological bias to their research.;The series follows three main themes, each represented by volumes on individual component topics. The first covers each of the major cell types and classes of inflammatory mediators ("Cell Types and Mediators"). The second covers each of the major organ systems and the diseases involving the immune systems and inflammatory responses that can affect them ("Systems"). The third covers different classes of drugs currently used to treat these diseases as well as those under development ("Drugs"). To enhance the usefulness of the series as a reference and teaching aid, all illustrations have been standardized. Similarly, a standardized system of abbreviations of terms has been adopted. A glossary of illustrations and of abbreviated terms is featured in each volume.;Diseases of the digestive system have a higher morbidity than any other group of disorder. There is a growing body of evidence that the immune system participates in the pathogenesis of a wide range or these diseases, including peptic ulcer diseases, inflammatory bowel disease and the gastropathy induces by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). For these reasons, efforts to develop novel therapies for digestive diseases are increasingly focused on the immune system.;The text reviews the immunopharmacology of the gastrointestinal tract at four levels: immunomodulation at a cellular level, cellular targets for immunomodulating drugs, specific classes of inflammatory mediators, and utility and mechanisms of action of glucocorticoids in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.