Polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential for human cell metabolism. As precursors of a very large and extremely versatile family of signaling compounds they play a key role in intracellular communication. Eicosanoids constitute one of the most abundant and prominent subfamilies of these fatty acid derivatives which are formed primarily along oxidative pathways. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and related eicosanoids have a modulatory function in mammalian cells and are responsible for tissue responses such as inflammation or wound repair. Increasing activity in eicosanoid research sheds new light on today's most common diseases including atherosclerosis, cancer, Alzheimer's, allergies, and rheumatic diseases. The recent advances already have far-reaching implications in medicine. This detailed account, written by leading experts, covers the ground-breaking developments in recent eicosanoid research. The topics span eicosanoid biogenesis, new aspects of their pathophysiology, for example their influence on the cardiovascular system, as well as the clinical application of synthetic eicosanoids and their antagonists. Researchers and students working in biochemistry or in pharmaceutical, physiological, medicinal and neurochemistry will value this informative introduction to one of the most rapidly developing fields in cell biology.

The original series, Advances in Prostaglandin Research, edited by Sultan M. M. Karim, was published by MTP Press in three volumes in 1975 and 1976. A glance at those books illustrates the progress that has been made since then. The thromboxanes were mentioned twice (first publication 1975) and prostacyclin not once (first publication 1976); leukotrienes were only on the horizon. The amazing generation of research data in the last 10-15 years has given new, broad insights into many areas, including asthma, inflammation, renaL cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases and in reproduction, and has led in some instances to real clinical benefit. This series, Advances in Eicosanoid Research, reflects the current understanding of prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes. The aim is to provide an introductory background to each topic and the most up-to-date information available. Although each book stands alone, the eicosanoids cut across many boundaries in their basic actions; selected chapters from each book in the series will provide illuminating and productive information for all readers which will advance their education and research. In the production of this series, I must acknowledge with pleasure my collaboration with editors and authors and the patient endeavours of Dr Michael Brewis and the staff at MTP Press.

Ten years after the discovery of prostacyclin, our knowledge of its biochemical mode of action, pharmacological properties, pathophysiological significance and therapeutic applications is ever expanding. Prostacyclin is both complex and unique as demonstrated by its unusual feature of being chemically and meta bolically unstable when compared to other prostanoids and known amine or peptide mediators. Although physiologically essential, the chemical instability of prostacyclin poses a serious drawback in laboratory and clinical studies. It is one of the genuine objectives of pharmaceutical research to supply synthetic compounds which overcome the inherent drawbacks - considering investigational and therapeutic use - of endogenous compounds. Whereas metabolic instability in certain cases could be of advantage, chemical instability definitely is not. With Iloprost, a molecule has been designed which - according to all data so far available - pertains high receptor affinity, metabolic instability (clinically this equates with a fine control of Iloprost's effects) while chemical stability has been achieved. By virtue of these characteristics Iloprost can be considered as one step towards specific interaction within the arachidonic acid cascade, namely the prostacyclin receptor. The aim of the symposium was to provide a critical experimental appraisal concerning the biochemical mode of action and pharmacological properties of prostacyclin and Iloprost.