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“hindsight" oral contraceptive agents, little confirmation evidence has yet been forthcoming (7). Induction of Labor
Of immediate physiologic interest is the fact that PGF, is present in amniotic fluid, and its concentration rises in the blood of women in labor, suggesting that endogenous PGF, may be an important factor in the normal induction of labor. In addition, its presence in menstrual fluid, together with its activity in constricting gastrointestinal smooth muscle, suggests a role for PGF, in the production of the pain of dysmenorrhea by causing gastrointestinal or uterine contractions or both (8). .
THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE Local Inflammation
The inflammatory response is characterized by increased vascular permeability and vasodilatation with a subsequent migration of leukocytes leading to the classical signs of redness, heat, pain, and swelling. The induction of the response is multifold and includes burns, trauma, carrageenin administration, infection, and inflammatory diseases of unknown etiology such as rheumatoid arthritis. Bradykinin, serotonin, and histamine released into inflammatory areas by leukocytes have all been proposed as mediators of the response, but the specific agents involved and their interrelationships and mechanisms remain obscure. Recent evidence has accumulated that prostaglandins may be important mediators of inflammation. Systemic Inflammation
Common systemic manifestations of inflammation are headache and fever, which are classically alleviated by such anti-inflammatory analgesic, antipyretic agents as aspirin, indomethacin, phenylbutazone, and aminopyrine, all compounds which markedly inhibit prostaglandin synthetase. There is strong evidence that the headache and fever are prostaglandinmediated (9). THE IMMUNE RESPONSE
Bronchial Asthma
Although the cause and mechanisms of human bronchial asthma are unknown, certain important facts are well established. In general, beta
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