What is cyclooxygenase?

cyclooxygenase, or cox, is an enzyme that produces signals that can lead to pain and inflammation. Inhibitors of this type of enzyme are known as non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs (NSAID). These include painkillers and fever reduction such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. In consistently, over time, for conditions such as arthritis, these compounds can lead to peptic ulcers. The new generation of COX inhibitors has been developed in the hope of minimizing these side effects.

There are two main types of cyclooxygenases found in the human body. The first is known as Cox-1. This enzyme is present in most cells and acts as part of normal cellular cleaning, such as maintaining the lining of the stomach. On the other hand, COX-2 is produced in response to specific challenges and generates signals that lead to inflammation and pain. These compounds are like hormones. But there is different in that hormones are acting remotely. Prostaglandins produce signals that are short -term andThey only affect nearby cells or the same cells that produce them. These compounds are a type of fatty acid, there are 20 carbons long and have a five-legged ring at the end of the chemical.

There are many types of prostaglandins, but the parental compound is produced from polyunsaturated fatty acids arachidonic acid . Different types of prostaglandins that cause less inflammation can be made of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids that are obtained from fish oil in the diet. These fatty acids can be used preferably by cyclooxygenase instead of arachidonic acid and can help reduce inflammation.

Aspirin is a traditional and very effective cyclooxygenase inhibitor. Unfortunately, both COX-1 and COX-2 inhibit. In addition to reducing pain and IT fever, it can cause serious stomach problems such as ulcers. This is a common side effect of NSAIDs. Another side effect includes an increased tendenor to the kidney failure.

These side effects led to the search for a selective COX-2 inhibitor. A new NSAID class was developed, which primarily focused on Cox-2. These drugs were expected to miss the side effects of the original NSAIDs.

As expected, specific COX-2 inhibitors caused much less stomach irritation and less bleeding. Unexpectedly, they also retained other side effects of traditional NSAIDs, such as increased kidney failure. There are also concerns about other possible negative side effects, such as an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.

medicines in this class that remain available for use include celecoxib and etoricoxib. Due to concerns about their possible side effects, some healthcare professionals recommend against their use. Rofecoxib, better known as Vioxx®, was removed in 2004 for security concerns.