How does Bextra work?

Relieving the pain of inflammation traditionally involved targeting chemical messengers that cause tissue to inflame. One very important chemical messenger is an enzyme called cyclooxygenase-2 or COX-2 for short. Unfortunately, it is very similar in chemical makeup to the Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) which plays an important role in protecting the lining of the lower stomach. Traditional anti-inflammation drugs like asprin or ibuprofen indiscriminantly block both COX enzymes, so one could get relief from inflammation, but at a cost to the health of one's stomach. New COX-2 inhibitor drugs like Bextra were designed to target the COX-2 enzyme, but not the COX-1 enzyme. This would allow patients who could not tolerate traditional anti-inflammatory medications to get relief for arthritis pain.