Inflammatory Network Response to Perturbation
Inflammation is a central element in bioregulatory systems medicine. Acute inflammation is induced by autoregulating tissue to maintain or restore homeostasis. It can therefore promote both disease progression and regression depending on the positioning, timing and population of resolving molecules during the course of inflammation. While acute inflammation is an essential complex biochemical and cellular response necessary to restore homeostasis, uncontrolled or sustained inflammation may lead to numerous diseases.
When it comes to therapeutic options, by recognizing the important role of inflammatory response in restoring autoregulation, medications need not be designed to block or dampen inflammation just to relieve symptoms. Medications should rather be designed to mimic and support the body’s innate resolution mechanisms based on the context of the individual inflammatory event. This approach may increase the potential to alter disease progression, arguably minimizing side effects. The future of therapeutics lies in those treatments that can promote or modulate the resolution process without unnecessary negative influence.