Effect of piroxicam on the chemotaxis and random migration of polymorphonuclear leucocytes after induction of immune and non immune inflammations.

The effect of piroxicam on the chemotaxis and random migration of rat polymorphonuclear leucocytes was investigated with two techniques of assessment (filter and agarose assay) under various experimental conditions. The drug was administered in vivo or tested in vitro on polymorphonuclears collected in the pleural cavity after induction of an immune (reverse passive Arthus reaction) or an acute non-specific inflammation (pleurisy induced by a suspension) (1%) of calcium pyrophosphate crystals (CaPP). In all cases a dose-dependent inhibition of chemotaxis was observed, more striking in the case of CaPP elicited cells which were more reactive than cells collected after the induction of the Arthus reaction. No modification of random migration appeared using the filter assay while a slight inhibition was demonstrated at the higher dose using the agarose assay.