Selective COX-2 Inhibitors: Pharmacology, Clinical Effects and Therapeutic Potential

The mainstay of therapy for rheumatoid disease is the non-steroid antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), despite their inherent gastrointestinal toxicity and ability to cause renal damage in susceptible patients. The theory that the beneficial and toxic effects of NSAIDs stem from a reduction in prostanoid production through inhibition of cyclooxygenase implied that particular toxicities were inevitable with NSAIDs and would always be correlated with efficacy. However, over the years, it became a...