Mediators of mucosal inflammation: implications for therapy

Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease remains a challenge. The major shortcoming in the development of new therapeutic approaches is the fact that the cause of inflammatory bowel disease is still unknown. Recognition of the importance of the arachidonic acid cascade of inflammatory mediators presents the opportunity to specifically inhibit or antagonize leukotriene B4, thromboxane, platelet activating factor, or phospholipase. Interleukins and cytokines have more recently been defined as targets for specific therapy. The results of these specific immune modulating studies are not only important from a therapeutic point of view, but substantially contribute to our understanding of the pathogenic cascades in IBD. In this review, several targets for novel therapeutic intervention are discussed.