Inhibition of eicosanoid biosynthesis by glucocorticoids in humans.

Therapeutic doses of glucocorticoids are thought to inhibit prostaglandin and leukotriene formation in humans. Several studies in animals, however, have failed to demonstrate modulation of eicosanoid biosynthesis by steroids in vivo. We administered prednisone (60 mg/day) to eight healthy volunteers and measured eicosanoid formation by a variety of cell types in vivo and ex vivo, using sensitive and specific physicochemical assays. We found …