Dual COX-Inhibitors: The Answer is NO?

S.      Fiorucci; E.      Antonelli

doi:10.2174/1568026054201677

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) releasing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a new class of antiinflammatory agents obtained by adding an NO releasing moiety to existing NSAIDs. They have also christened as COX inhibiting NO-donating drugs (CINOD). Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that CINOD inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 activities while cause less adverse effects on gastrointestinal tract in comparison to conventional NSAIDs and coxibs and reduce systemic blood pressure. A different class of NO-donating drugs has been obtained by coupling NO to aspirin. These NO-releasing aspirins are new chemical entities that maintain and possibly expands the pharmacological properties of aspirin, but spare the gastrointestinal mucosa. Animal studies have shown that CINOD and NO-aspirins maintain gastric mucosal blood flow and reduce leukocyte-endothelial cell adherence.

Keywords: nsaids, analgesic, cyclooxygenase, no synthase, endothelial cells, aspirin, prostaglandin, gastrointestinal, mucosa, platelet aggregation