Directions for New Anti-asthma Drugs

Abstract

An overview of the current status of the drug therapy of asthma.- "Symptomatic" Therapy of Asthma.- Action of mediators on airway smooth muscle: functional antagonism as a mechanism for bronchodilator drugs.- New possibilities for the ?-adrenoceptor agonist bronchodilator drugs.- Calcium ion mechanisms in airway smooth muscle: potential targets for novel symptomatic drugs for asthma.- K+ -channel opening as a mechanism for relaxing airways smooth muscle.- Modulation of arachidonic acid metabolites as potential therapy of asthma.- L-648, 051, A potent and specific aerosol active leukotriene D4 antagonist.- Characterisation of the leukotriene receptor(s) on human isolated lung strips.- Generation of leukotrienes in guinea-pigs in vivo during antigen-induced bronchospasm.- "Non-Symptomatic/Prophylactic" Therapy of asthma.- Xanthines - symptomatic or prophylactic in asthma?.- Do anti-allergic drugs or anticholinergic drugs have a role in the treatment of asthma?.- Drugs affecting pulmonary responses to platelet activating factor as novel anti-asthma drugs.- Pharmacological evaluation of prophylactic anti-asthma drugs by reference to the pathological sequelae of exposure to allergen or platelet activating factor.- Lipoxygenase metabolites as mediators of platelet activating factor-induced increased airways responsiveness to histamine in the guinea-pig.- Effects of LG 30435 on different platelet activating factor-induced responses.- Effect of the PAF-antagonist WEB 2086 on anaphylactic lung reaction: comparison of inhalative and intravenous challenge.- Airway microvascular permeability in asthma - a target for drug action?.- Developments in anti-asthma.- Aerosol and oral corticosteroids in the treatment of asthma.- Routes of Administration of anti-asthma drugs.- Bambuterol, a bronchodilator prodrug with sustained action, enhances delivery of active drug to the lung.- Is choice of drug delivery as important as choice of drug in childhood asthma?.- Studies in healthy volunteers can demonstrate bronchodilator activity of orally administered drugs.- Concluding Talk.- The drug therapy of asthma: directions for the 21st century.- Discussion.- New drugs for asthma.