The role of prostaglandins in inflammation

Our work suggests that aspirin-like drugs suppress inflammatory oedema not by reducing vessel wall permeability but by inhibiting the production of vasodilator mediators (prostaglandins), which results in a reduction in plasma exudation. Thus aspirin-like drugs appear to inhibit inflammatory swelling in the same manner as the traditional method of cooling with an ice-pack--by constricting the dilated blood vessels.