What is the primary action of corticosteroids in therapy?

Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that play a crucial role in the regulation of various physiological processes, particularly in the response to stress and inflammation. Their primary action in therapy is to inhibit inflammation, which makes them highly effective in treating a range of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

By inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, corticosteroids help reduce swelling, redness, and pain associated with inflammatory responses. This mechanism can be especially beneficial in conditions like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases, among others.

While other options involve different physiological mechanisms, they do not represent the primary therapeutic action of corticosteroids. For instance, vasodilation is a process that involves the widening of blood vessels and is not a direct action of corticosteroids. Similarly, the antihistamine effect is linked to a different class of drugs that block histamine receptors to alleviate allergic symptoms. Local anesthesia pertains to the interruption of nerve signal transmission, which is a separate pharmacological function not related to corticosteroid therapy.