Macrolide antibiotics, such as erythromycin and clarithromycin, are well known to be effective against Gram-positive bacteria and are frequency used for the treatment of upper and lower respiratory infections. On the other hand, since the initial success of treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis with erythromycin for longer than 3 months was reported in 1982, this therapy has been widely used for the treatment of airway inflammatory diseases, including chronic rhinosinusitis, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis with remarkable success in worldwide. The mechanisms underlying the clinical efficacy of macrolides may be owing to, in part at least, their anti-inflammatory action, but not bactericidal activity.

We particularly take an interest in papers that report clinical efficacy of inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory arthritis, atopic dermatitis, and inflammatory bowel diseases, among others. Reviews that summarize the results of clinical use in the treatment of inflammatory diseases are also welcome. Moreover, papers showing novel action of macrolides on bacteria and of host defense mechanisms would be of great interest. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Clinical efficacy of macrolides on inflammatory diseases
• Therapeutic mechanisms of macrolides
• Molecular mechanisms of anti-inflammatory action
• Macrolides on airway inflammation induced by virus infection
• Macrolide and endogenous immunomodulatory peptides
• Macrolides-induced clinical drug interactions and toxicity
• Mechanisms of structure-activity relationship
• Anti-inflammatory action of macrolide derivatives
• Discovery of new macrolides

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