Organ tolerance of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: effect on liver cells

Experimental studies in mice and in rats showed the good tolerance of a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, flunoxaprofen, by normal and CCl4 damaged liver. The activity of an enzyme-inducing drug, such as phenobarbital, showed a greater increase after pretreatment with indomethacin than with flunoxaprofen or benoxaprofen. High doses of benoxaprofen and indomethacin significantly decreased bromosulphonphthalein excretion in rats with normal or CCl4 damaged liver; the effect was not observed with flunoxaprofen administered at the same dose as benoxaprofen. Moreover, benoxaprofen and indomethacin but not flunoxaprofen induced a significant increase of some serum liver enzymes in CCl4 poisoned rats.