The invention includes processes mainly for the treatment of a inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, atherosclerosis, asthma, allergy, inflammatory kidney disease, circulatory shock, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, skin inflammation, periodontal disease, psoriasis and T cell-mediated diseases of immunity, including allergic encephalomyelitis, allergic neuritis, transplant allograft rejection, graft versus host disease, myocarditis, thyroiditis, nephritis, systemic lupus erthematosus, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The processes involve treating a patient with a pharmaceutical composition containing an active ingredient that inhibits the activity of sphingosine kinase.