Influence of anti-inflammatory agents on rat liver mitochondrial ATPase.

Several classes of anti-inflammatory agents including acetyl-salicylic acid, salicylic acid, flufenamic acid, phenyl-butazone, indometacin, oxyphenyl-butazone, and mefenamic acid were found to be inhibitors of rat liver mitochondrial ATPase in both intact and freeze-ruptured mitochondria. The freeze-ruptured mitochondrial ATPase was found to be Mg2+- and ATP-concentration dependent. The standard uncoupler, 2,4-dinitrophenol, not possessing anti-inflammatory activity, activates the enzyme in both preparations. A number of compounds of various structural classes possessing no anti-inflammatory property in vivo were found to have no inhibitory effect on the enzyme. This inhibition of ATPase by anti-inflammatory agents could be used as an in vitro test method for the primary screening of potential anti-inflammatory agents.