Pharmacological properties of a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug: flunoxaprofen.

The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of S-(+)-2(4-fluorophenyl)-alpha-methyl-5 benzoxazole acetic acid (flunoxaprofen: Flu), a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, were compared with those of indomethacin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in experimental animals. Flu showed strong inhibitory activity on acute and subacute inflammation tests in rats, such as carrageenin hind paw oedema (oral: 6-25 mg/kg; rectal: 50-100 mg/kg); pellet-induced granuloma formation (5-20 mg/kg/day) and adjuvant-induced arthritis (10 mg/kg/day). Its potency was comparable with that of indomethacin (I) and higher than that of acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), ibuprofen (IBU) or phenylbutazone (P). The analgesic activity of Flu, evaluated by the hot plate method and tail pinching in mice, was slightly lower than that of I but higher than that of ASA and IBU. In pyretic rabbits Flu showed an antipyretic activity higher than that of ASA and IBU. The ability of Flu to affect platelet aggregation, mucopolysaccharide synthesis by fibroblasts and the proteolytic action of trypsin was also investigated.