Abstract: A method of prophylaxis or treatment of inflammatory conditions, including, but not limited to, intestinal epithelial inflammation due to intestine-specific conditions (e.g., Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) or systemic causes of inflammation (e.g., endotoxemia, sepsis, hemorrhagic shock/resuscitation or pancreatitis) is disclosed. In the method of the invention, an affected patient is administered a therapeutically effective amount of a composition including an NAD-related compound, in a form that is accessible to a receptor molecule, conveyed in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier vehicle. NAD-related compounds include nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), cyclic adenosine diphosphate ribose (cADPR), or functionally equivalent analogues, derivatives, metabolites or agonists thereof or prodrugs therefor.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of using a therapeutic composition comprising a compound of an alpha-ketoalkanoic acid (pyruvate) and/or its derivatives for the treatment of cytokine-mediated inflammatory conditions. The compound is an alpha-ketoalkanoic acid, a physiologically acceptable salt of an alpha-ketoalkanoic acid, an ester of an alpha-ketoalkanoic acid, or an amide of an alpha-ketoalkanoic acid. A component for inducing and stabilizing the enol resonance form of the ester at physiological pH values is also disclosed. The cytokine-mediated inflammatory conditions are mediated by, for example, an “early” (Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), interleukin-1? (IL-1?)) or “late” (high mobility group B-1 (HMGB-1)) mediator of inflammation.