ABSTRACT
Serveral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs known to inhibit prostaglandin [PG] biosynthesis were also found to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Similarly, endogenous inhibitors of PG biosynthesis, such as human blood plasma, serum and plasma - globulin fraction, also inhibited lipid peroxidation. These results throw new light on the mechanism of action of anti-inflammatory drugs and also open up the interesting possibility that the inhibition of lipid peroxidation may be a component of anti-inflammatory response to these drugs
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Animals, LaboratoryABSTRACT
We have compared the effects of various types of drugs on arachidonate cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes. Several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAID] were found to be predominant inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase and had little or no effect on the lipoxygenase activity. On the other hand, anti-malarial drugs and various anti-oxidants inhibited both enzymes with varying potencies whereas anti-asthmatic drugs and anti-inflammatory steroids showed no effect. These results are demonstrative that metabolism of arachidonic acid by way of cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways are involved in inflammation, and that dual inhibition of cyclo- oxygenase and lipoxygenase may lead to a more selective type of anti-inflammatory action without the complicating side-effects of corticosteroids