[Glucocorticoids: mode of action and pharmacokinetics]

Glucocorticoids are used in therapeutics for their anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and immunosuppressant activities. These effects are partly due to the ability of glucocorticoids to inhibit cell activation, since they block the transmission of cell stimulation signals through the cell membrane. They also inhibit the release of numerous cellular mediators, such as interleukins, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, etc. which intervene in immunological reactions. Finally, their cytostatic effect justifies their inclusion in many chemotherapeutic regimens. Although glucocorticoids have been widely used for several decades, many questions concerning their pharmacokinetics and mechanism of action remain unanswered.