Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Formerly Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Allergy Agents) - Volume 7, Issue 2, 2008

Despite advances in vaccine development and antiviral drug chemotherapy, the world is still ill equipped to defend against future influenza pandemics. The vulnerability of humans to pandemic influenza was particularly evident during the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic which killed 20-50 millions people globally. The current global bird flu crisis in Asia, Africa and Europe has sparked fear of another influenza pandemic and Read More

Influenza virus is a major human pathogen that causes epidemics and pandemics with increased morbidity and, especially in the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions, increased mortality. Currently avian influenza viruses are causing deaths in previously “not-at-risk” groups. Influenza is characterised by respiratory symptoms and constitutional symptoms. In this review we explore current knowledge of the rol Read More

Avian H5N1 influenza viruses first emerged as members of a new human influenza A subtype in Hong Kong in 1997 and there are continuing concerns that members of the subtype will be the cause of the next pandemic. Human-tohuman transmission is rare, but mortality rates associated with avian-to-human transmission are significantly higher than for current human epidemic strains. Severe human H5N1 infections are a Read More

The Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918-19 was one of three pandemics in the last century. It was exceptional among human influenza pandemics for the severity of disease experienced by victims of the pandemic, particularly among healthy young adults. Following the recent reconstruction of the complete 1918 virus, examination of host responses and pathological outcomes in animal models of infection has provided insight in Read More

The major role of memory T cells is to ensure protection upon re-exposure to pathogens through rapid clonal proliferation and functional activation. This immunity usually persists for periods which can extend for over 60 years. These memory T cells are generated during acute viral infections. In the context of influenza viral infection, the presence of neutralizing antibodies against influenza virus proteins provides the Read More

Influenza virus-infected cells are induced to undergo apoptosis and become susceptible to phagocytosis. Data from our in vitro and in vivo experiments have suggested that 1) alveolar macrophages and neutrophils phagocytose influenza virus-infected cells in an apoptosis-dependent manner; 2) the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylserine and viral neuraminidase-processed carbohydrates at the surface of target c Read More

H5N1 avian influenza virus (AIV) has caused widespread infections in poultry and wild birds, and has the potential to emerge as a pandemic threat to human. Nucleic acid-based drugs are promising classes of therapeutic agents that have important clinical applications for the prevention and treatment of viral diseases.In this review, a breif overview is made in the use of antisense technology in gene suppression. The main foc Read More

Jodantipyrin or 4-iodo-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-pyrazol-3-one is an iodinated form of antipyrine which belongs to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The parent compound, antipyrine, is keto derivative of pyrazoline and is the oldest known synthetic drug. The primery pharmacological activity of Jodantipyrin is based on its properties to induce endogenous type 1 interferons. The anti-inflammatory actio Read More

Small double stranded RNA molecules known as small interfering RNA (siRNA), initially identified for their role in the guide sequence in the effector complex of the RNA interference pathway, now represent a promising new class of therapeutic agent with potentially important clinical applications for the prevention and treatment of viral disease. siRNA with its ability to harness the cells own gene-silencing apparatus in a highly ada Read More

Influenza A virus poses a direct threat to humans and results in the deaths of about 36,000 people each year in USA. There is tremendous concern that highly virulent variants of the virus may emerge and cause a major pandemic. The influenza virus attacks the respiratory tracts and may cause acute lung inflammation. Certain evidence suggests that the lethal effect of the influenza virus results from inflammation of the host lun Read More

Complex viruses such as herpes, poxvirus, HIV and influenza subvert the immune system, blocking host antiviral defenses. The innate immune inflammatory response represents the first line of defense against invading pathogens. This first line of defense also initiates cellular healing after infection or injury. With tumors, however, the innate immune response is a classic double-edged sword, with the capacity to promote or Read More