Steroids Blog

Non-steroid anti-rheumatic drugs (NSAR) such as acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) have been regarded as popular choices for patients when it comes to the treatment of inflammation, fever, and pain. But as per a recently concluded studt these drugs would not have even passed the clinical trial stages due to the risks and side-effects associated with them.

A new approach using chemical substances belonging to the dual mPGES-1/5-LO-Inhibitors has been developed at the Manfred Schubert-Zsilavecz’s laboratory at the Goethe University.

From News-Medical.Net:

Aspirin and the related NSAR drugs act on the arachidonic acid biosynthesis cascade, which plays a central role in the onset of pain and inflammation. They thus prevent the synthesis of specific prostaglandins, which are essential for vital bodily functions. When the drugs are taken over a long period of time, the unselective inhibition of this essential pathway may result in unwanted side effects on the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system. As Schubert-Zsilavecz explains: “By comparison, our class of drugs/substances acts on a later stage in the arachidonate cascade, and is more selective. We therefore can expect it to have considerably fewer side effects.”

A further advantage of this new class of drugs is that they not only specifically target the biosynthesis of prostaglandin, but also of leukotrienes, which are metabolites in the second important branch of the arachidonate cascade and play a central role in allergic and inflammatory reactions. This double attack promises more effective results for these new substances.

This is one of the biggest and most important successes of the recently opened Lipid Signaling Research Centre as per according to Gerd Geisslinger, Speaker of the LiFF-Initiative and President of the Center for Drug Research, Development and Safety (ZAFES).

The new class of drugs is aimed at specifically targeting biosynthesis of leukotrienes and prostaglandin along with playing a major role in allergic and inflammatory reactions.