Licofelone- Novel Analgesic and Anti-Inß ammatory Agent for Osteoarthritis: An Overview

Licofelone (2-[6-(4-chlorophenyl)-2, 2-dimethyl-7-phenyl-2, 3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolizin-5-yl] acetic acid) is the Þ rst member of a new class of analgesic and anti-ins ammatory drugs acting by dual mechanism inhibiting both cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipooxygenase (5-LOX). Inhibition of 5-LOX may reduce the gastrointestinal toxicity associated with other non steroidal anti-ins ammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which only inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX). It has been evaluated for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis. It has been found to be signiÞ cantly effective in Phase III clinical trials conducted on patients of osteoarthritis. The present review describes the pharmacological and clinical developments of licofelone as a dual inhibitor for COX and 5-LOX. Key words : Licofelone, analgesic, anti-ins ammatory.