Inflammatory mediators involved in Normal and Pathological Pregnancies

RIBEIRO ML, FARINA MG, FRANCHI AM,

Reseacrh Signpost

Lugar: Kerala; Año: 2010 p. 137

978-81-308-0393-7

To begin with, we would like to recall what we think about when pharmacology comes up to our mind. In the strict sense of the word, pharmacology is the study of drugs on living tissues and how those drugs help diagnose, treat, cure and prevent disease or correct the pathophysiology of living tissues. The term pharmacology is derived from two Greek words: pharmakon, the Greek word for drugs, and logos, the Greek word for science. However, now at days scientists know that pharmacology is much more than this and that it means new technology, molecular designing and innovation with cutting edge therapies. It could be said, that pharmacology is one of the most rapidly moving areas of sciences, and a number of substantial advances have been made in the last years. Throughout this book the reader will find how pharmacology and reproduction interact, especially when talking about inflammatory mediators in normal and pathological pregnancies. Along the different chapters we cover how drugs work in different reproductive pathologies; their therapeutic and adverse effects; their interactions with other drugs as well as how and when they are prescribed. We also described great efforts that basic scientists are doing in order to find new pharmacological targets that help to alleviate infertility and improve hospital management. Details and individual drug properties were deliberately omitted; rather, this book was designed to arouse the curiosity of the immuno-pharmacological novice applied to new concerns in fertilization, implantation, placentation and labor. Our cordial thanks go to the many authors that participate in the construction of this edition and to all our peers who kindly and patiently review these pages.