摘要：Summary. - No currently available treatments reduce the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) or suppress the inflammation in small airways and lung parenchyma. However, several
new treatments now in development for COPD are targeted at the inflammation process. Antagonists of
mediators, such as leukotriene B4, interleukin-8, and tumour necrosis factor-α and inhibitors of oxidative
and nitrative stress are in clinical development. Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors are in clinical trials and
drugs that inhibit p38 MAP kinase, nuclear factor-κB and phosphoinositide-3 kinase-γ are now in early
development. There is also a search for elastase inhibitors to prevent the development of emphysema and
drugs that may even reverse the lung destruction
