Determinants of the short-term gastric damage caused by NSAIDs in man.
BACKGROUND
The short-term gastric damage seen with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in man may involve inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX-1) and COX-2 as well as the topical irritancy, which is dependant on the acidity (pKa) and/or lipophilicity (log P(7.4)).


OBJECTIVE
To study the quantitative relationship between NSAID-induced short-term gastric damage, their physicochemical properties and contrasting roles of COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition.


METHODS
We identified studies that allowed a qualitative comparison of the gastric injury (Lanza scores) induced by NSAIDs with their pKa and log P(7.4). Damage was correlated with gastric COX inhibition and potency to inhibit COX-1 and 2 and their COX-2/COX-1 selectivity ratio.


RESULTS
The gastric damage correlates significantly with pKa (r = -0.69; P < 0.01), log P (r = -0.58, P < 0.05) and potency of the NSAIDs to inhibit COX-1 (r = -0.61, P < 0.02), but not with COX-2 inhibition or COX-2/COX-1 selectivity.


CONCLUSIONS
Against a background of COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition, the physicochemical properties of NSAID appear to play an important role in short-term gastric damage.
Bjarnason
I
I
Department of Medicine, Guy's, King's, St Thomas' Medical School, London, UK. ingvar.bjarnason@kcl.ac.uk
Scarpignato
C
C
Takeuchi
K
K
Rainsford
K D
KD
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors