Effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on human leucocytes

The action of 4 non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) on the function of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), monocytes and lymphocytes has been investigated and compared to that of prednisolone. Benoxaprofen and diclofenac inhibited the chemotaxis of leucocytes in a dose-dependent fashion in vitro whereas acetylsalicylic acid and indomethacin were inactive or effective on the migration of these cells at high concentrations only. Benoxaprofen did not reduce significantly (variance analysis, p = 0.05) the chemotactic locomotion of PMN or monocytes isolated from volunteers after repeated oral administration of the drug. The other function of the leucocytes investigated, which are essential for the defense of the host, were not suppressed by NSAID at therapeutic concentrations. From these experimental results it was concluded that Nsaid have a differing spectrum of biological activities and can act selectively on functions of leucocytes. However, the relevance of these findings to the effect of drugs on the inflammatory process is still unclear.