Study reveals novel action mechanism of corticosteroids in combating inflammation caused by COVID-19

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a class of corticosteroids called glucocorticoids (GCs) has become established as one of the main treatment options, especially for severe cases, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant action. Brazilian researchers recently discovered new ways in which these drugs influence the organism’s inflammatory response during an infection: They raise levels of endocannabinoids (eCBs), molecules produced by the organism itself and that bind to the same receptor as cannabidiol; and they lower blood levels of platelet-activating factor (PAF), a lipidic mediator of inflammation and clotting.