1995 - 07

Thromb Res. 1995 Jul 1;79(1):73-81.

Flurbinitroxybutylester: a novel anti-inflammatory drug has enhanced antithrombotic activity.

Cirino G, Cicala C, Mancuso F, Baydoun AR, Wallace JL. Biology Research Centre, King's College, London, UK.

We have recently shown that the introduction of a nitroxybutylester moiety into flurbiprofen, to form Flurbi-NO, results in a compound with markedly reduced undesired effects in the gastrointestinal tract. This effect has been shown to be linked to nitric oxide release from the Flurbi-NO. Here we have investigated whether this is associated with a reduction in platelet aggregability in vivo, as assessed in a mouse model of thromboembolism and a rat model of platelet aggregation, and found in both models that Flurbi-NO is more potent than flurbiprofen at inhibiting collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Further in vitro studies using human washed platelets and cells in culture suggest that this is due to the release of NO from Flurbi-NO following the action of (possibly plasma) esterases. Together with our earlier data, these results strongly suggest that Flurbi-NO and other members of this class of drugs, have particular potential as anti-thrombotic agents devoid of gastrointestinal side effects.