> [Isn't inflammation some kind of homeostatic defensive reaction ? What would be the meaning of trying to inhibit this process?] Before birth, injuries heal without inflammation and don't leave a scar. Two important causes for that difference are the high concentration of CO2, which limits lactic acid production, and the absence of the n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. In adulthood, the tissues become progressively more loaded with fats of that type, leading to greater production of inflammatory agents such as prostaglandins, and an increasing tendency to produce lactic acid rather than carbon dioxide. Chronic systemic inflammation is the central factor in the various degenerative diseases.