Analgesic strategies beyond the inhibition of cyclooxygenases

Abstract

Blocking the formation of prostaglandins with cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors has been the treatment of choice for inflammatory pain for more than a century. Although these agents provide profound pain relief, their long-term use is hampered by severe side-effects, mainly ulceration of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The development of COX-2-selective inhibitors ("coxibs") has significantly reduced gastrointestinal toxicity, but evidence from controlled clinical trials and experimental studies indicates that the use of coxibs has a Show more