January 29, 2010, Newsletter Issue #57: How does Bextra work?
Tip of the Week
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.
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