10.02.3.1 Inhibit Phospholipase A2

The glucocorticoids inhibit phospholipase A₂ to reduce the activity of both cyclooxygenase and lipooxygenase, and decrease the levels of prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are important, but not the only mediators of inflammation. The glucocorticoids are potent anti-inflammatory agents and this is partly due to decreasing the levels of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, but this is not the only inflammatory mechanism of glucocorticoids.