ABSTRACT
Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs] are commonly used in market to treat inflammatory diseases by inhibiting cyclooxygenase [COX], the ratelimiting enzyme in prostaglandins [PGs] synthesis. There are constitutive expression of COX-1 in most cells and inducible expression of COX-2 at inflammatory sites. In recent years NSAIDs like ketoprofen and diclofenac begin to show an immunomodulatory activity predicting its promising use in the treatment of autoimmune disorders. In the present study, we investigate the role of both ketoprofen and diclofenac in dexamethasone-immunosuppressed rats according to some haematological parametes like white blood cells [WBCs] count and neutrophil lymphocyte count ratio [NLCR]. Four groups of experimental rats were used in this study, G1 was used as control, G2 was immunosuppressed by dexamethasone for 3 days, G3 and G4 were immunosuppressed by dexamethasone for 3 days followed by administration of ketoprofen and diclofenac potassium respectively for 18 days. WBCs and NLCR were used as indicators of immune system activity. Ketoprofen was proved to have an immunosuppressive role and diclofenac potassium was suggested to cause immunomodulation. Based on our findings NLCR was suggested to be predictor of immune system activity and ketoprofen and diclofenac as commonly used NSAIDs may have an important role in the treatment of autoimmune disorders in the future