IONOPHORETIC-LIKE PROPERTIES OF KETOROLAC FOR CALCIUM

Ketorolac is an analgesic drug known to induce its therapeutic effect by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. In this work we introduce the n onsteroidal antialgesic drug as a compound with ionophoretic propertie s for calcium ions, showing that ketorolac induces mitochondrial Ca+release. This reaction did not depend on an uncoupler-like action, bec ause the drug does not collapse the internal negative membrane potenti al nor does it affect oxidative phosphorylation. In addition, it is sh own that ketorolac ferries calcium ions into energized liposomes and h as a hydrophobic phase with an affinity constant of 4 x 10(-3). The th erapeutic action of ketorolac is related to its ionophoretic propertie s in addition to its well known inhibitory effect on the cyclooxygenas e enzyme.