Drug-induced activation of the nervous control of inflammation: A novel possibility for the treatment of hypoxic damage
- 作者：Alfio Bertolini ; alfio.bertolini@unimore.it
- 关键词：Ischemic disease ; Tissue hypoxia ; Ischemia&ndash ; reperfusion ; Brain control of inflammation ; Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway ; Melanocortins ; 伪7-Nicotinic receptor agonists ; Muscarinic receptor agonists ; Shock ; Stroke ; Myocardial infarction
- 刊名：European Journal of Pharmacology
- 出版年：2012
- 期刊代码：24_00142999
- 类别：neu
- 出版时间：15 March, 2012
- 卷：679
- 期：1-3
- 页码：1-8
- 文件大小：320 K
摘要
Together with undernutrition and, on the opposite, overeating and obesity, sudden tissue hypoperfusion is the most important cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Tissue hypoperfusion/hypoxia rapidly triggers an unrestrained inflammatory cascade that is the main responsible for the severity of the eventual outcome. The brain plays a key role in inflammation, either through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal humoral response or through activation of the vagal 鈥渃holinergic anti-inflammatory pathway鈥? Both humoral and nervous brain responses to inflammation are under the regulatory control of melanocortins, which have moreover a direct anti-inflammatory effect on inflammatory cells. Abundant experimental and clinical evidence indicates that MC3/MC4 melanocortin receptor agonists and cholinergic receptor agonists (mainly at the 伪7-nicotinic subtype) should by now be considered as completely innovative, effective drugs for the treatment of hypoxic conditions; melanocortin agonists being practically devoid of harmful side effects.