[The pharmacology of the lipoxygenase inhibitors oxphaman (1-(2,5-dihydroxybenzylidene)aminoadamantane) and oxphalin (1-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)-2,4,6-trimethylaniline].

Oxphaman and particularly oxphalin, among other phenolic azomethines, have been proven as strong inhibitors of lipoxygenases (LOX) from reticulocytes, soybean, thrombocytes as well as of quasi-LOX (hemoglobin) with IC50 values which correspond with those of known LOX inhibitors. The 5-LOX is likewise strongly, the cyclooxygenase of sheep seminal vesicles only weakly inhibited. Nevertheless, antiinflammatory effectivity was found in some carrageenin-induced inflammatory models of the rat as well as in the arachidonic acid- and croton oil-induced ear oedema of the mouse. Adjuvant arthritis, experimental pain, skin permeability and allergy models (anaphylactic paw oedema, cutaneous anaphylaxis, asthma, picryl chloride ear oedema) were not, only weakly or irregularly influenced. In the guinea pig ileum a certain antihistaminic, anticholinergic and leukotriene antagonistic activity was found. An inflammation-induced vasodepression (anaphylactic shock, dextran paw oedema. UV irradiation) was dose-dependently prevented or even reversed, obviously on the basis of oxygen radical scavenging.