The significance of measurements of lipid peroxide and a newly-discovered amidase in inflammation.

Inflammation is a biological defence mechanism against noxious stimuli. Over-strong and oversuppressed inflammatory responses both lead to tissue damage and delay of tissue repair. Determination of inflammatory responses on the basis of chemical mediators, however, only informs about the degree of these responses themselves. It cannot show whether these responses are over-strong or oversuppressed. We have developed a prototype standard for safe judgement of the appropriateness of inflammatory responses: measurements of lipid peroxide (a product of tissue damage) and a newly-discovered amidase (related to wound healing).