Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals Inc. (fka RCPIQ)

[Buddhahead]

FYI @ 'achooallergy.com':

Excerpts:
"WHAT IS INFLAMMATION?

Inflammation is the activation of the immune system in response to infection, irritation, or injury. Characterized by an influx of white blood cells, redness, heat, swelling, pain, and dysfunction of the organs involved, inflammation has different names when it appears in different parts of the body. Most allergy and asthma sufferers are familiar with rhinitis (inflammation of the nose), sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), and asthma (inflammation of the airways), but inflammation is also behind arthritis (inflammation of the joints), dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), and so on.

In the case of allergies, the immune system responds to the presence of an allergen, a normally harmless substance to which it has become overly sensitive. Allergens bind to antibodies, which trigger the release of chemicals like histamine that result in allergy symptoms. In the case of asthma, inflammation causes the airways to swell, making breathing difficult.

As the initial response that fires up the immune system, inflammation is the crucial first step in fighting off infection and healing wounds. However, when inflammation persists - when the immune system is always activated - this is known as chronic inflammation and can lead to chronic disease."

Article at:
http://www.achooallergy.com/learning/chronic-inflammation-chronic-disease/