Anti-inflammatory activity of EU-2972, 2-(3,4-dichlorphenylamino)quinolizinium bromide

EU-2972, a new and unique drug affecting the gastrointestinal tract, caused a dose-related inhibition of carrageenin-induced hindpaw edema in the rat. The acute anti-inflammatory effect of EU-2972 was absent in bilaterally adrenal-demedullated and in adrenalectomized rats. In the adjuvant-induced (Mycobacterium butyricum) polyarthritis rat study, daily peroral doses of EU-2972 for 14 days partially reduced primary and secondary lesions in therat hindfeet without improving the arthritis score or body weight loss. Phenylbutazone ameliorated all signs associated with polyarthritis in rats. These studies indicated that the acute anti-inflammatory effectiveness of EU-2972 was due to a release of adrenal catecholamines, and not to a direct effect or to a release of adrenal corticosteroids. A drug which releases adrenal catecholamines alone can be partially effective in reducing hindpaw lesion formation in rats with adjuvant arthritis. Nevertheless, the study shows that a drug which affects the gastrointestinal tract can be effective in an acute inflammatory condition.