Final answer:
Chemical mediators such as histamine, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and cytokines are integral to the body's inflammatory response, causing increased blood flow, white cell recruitment, and symptoms like pain and swelling. NSAIDs and antihistamines counteract inflammation by inhibiting mediators like prostaglandins and histamine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical mediators involved in the inflammatory process throughout the body are crucial components in the body's response to injury or infection. These mediators include histamine, prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and cytokines. Histamine, released from mast cells, causes vasodilation and increased vascular permeability, leading to the classic signs of inflammation such as redness, warmth, and swelling, also known as edema. Prostaglandins and leukotrienes, produced by injured cells and immune cells like phagocytes and basophils, attract white blood cells to the site, increase vascular permeability, and cause pain. Cytokines, released by injured or immune cells, are pivotal in driving the inflammatory response, promoting chemotaxis, and attacking pathogens.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins, therefore reducing pain and inflammation. Conversely, antihistamines can decrease allergic reactions by blocking the effects of histamine.