Fluorometholone

Indications

Fluorometholone is indicated for the ophthalmic treatment of inflammation that is responsive to corticosteroids. This includes conditions affecting the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva, cornea, and the anterior segment of the eye. It is specifically utilized in cases where a corticosteroid-responsive anti-inflammatory treatment is warranted.

Pharmacodynamics

Fluorometholone functions by inhibiting the body's inflammatory response to various stimuli. As a corticosteroid, it decreases inflammation by reducing edema, fibrin deposition, and capillary dilation. Additionally, it inhibits leukocyte migration, capillary and fibroblast proliferation, collagen deposition, and scar formation, all of which are typical responses in inflammatory processes. Its action may also delay or slow down the healing process.

Mechanism of Action

Fluorometholone's mechanism of action, while not definitively established, is believed to involve the modulation of inflammatory responses via the induction of phospholipase A2 inhibitory proteins known as lipocortins. These proteins are hypothesized to regulate the synthesis of key inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, by preventing the liberation of their precursor, arachidonic acid, from membrane phospholipids-an action initially catalyzed by phospholipase A2. The primary action site of fluorometholone is the cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor, to which it binds and forms a receptor-ligand complex. This complex subsequently translocates to the cell nucleus, where it interacts with glucocorticoid response elements (GREs) located in the promoter regions of specific genes. The receptor, once bound to DNA, further engages with fundamental transcription factors, thereby enhancing the expression of the targeted genes.