Pharmacological properties of carprofen

Carprofen, a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, showed marked anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in various relevant experimental models. The analgesic activity was restricted to conditions where pain was provoked by an inflammatory process. Induction of intestinal ulcers was the only side effect recognizable in animals and occurred only after high doses. Inhibition of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis by carprofen was slight in relation to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic potency. As ulcerogenicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents is correlated with inhibition of the PG-synthesis, the insignificant impairment of the PG-synthesis in therapeutically effective doses may explain the good gastrointestinal tolerance repeatedly reported for carprofen in clinical trials.