Rheumatoid Arthritis Support

The efficacy and safety of flunoxaprofen has been compared with those of Naproxen in rheumatoid arthritis patients to show that the two drugs have equivalent therapeutical effects. Both drugs significantly relieve spontaneous pain which occurs both during the day and at night. Both drugs also significantly relive the pain associated with active and passive motion and aid in relieving morning stiffness. The study also showed both drugs to be equally effective at improving grip strength.

Flunoxaprofen has two enantiomers. The absorption and siposition of both enantiomers were studied in 1988. No significnat differences were seen between the absorption and elimination half-lives between the two. However, further studies have shown that the S-enantiomer is the active form of the drug. Flunoxaprofen is pharmacologically activated through biotransformation of the R-enantiomer to the S-enantiomer. This highly stereoselective chiral inversion is mediated by the FLX-S-Acyl-CoA thioester.

Pharmacokinetic studies have been carried out by determining the level of propranolol enantiomers in the plasma after administering the racemic drug orally. It has been shown that the dextrorotatory form is particularly active and has a much higher therapeutic index than some other anti-inflammatories, including indomethacin and diclofenac.

It has also been shown that flunoxaprofen inhibits leukotriene rather than prostaglandin synthesis. This is similar to benoxaprofen. Flunoxaprofen and benoxaprofen have been shown to have similar absorption characteristics. However, the distribution and elimination of flunoxaprofen has been shown to be much faster than benoxaprofen.


Adapted from the Wikipedia article Flunoxaprofen, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki