SPECIFICITY OF FLURBIPROFEN AND ENANTIOMERS FOR INHIBITION OF PROSTAGLANDIN SYNTHESIS IN BOVINE IRIS CILIARY BODY/

In the eye, prostaglandin production, as stimulated by trauma, is caus ed by the activity of the constitutive enzyme cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) , present in the iris/ciliary body. For flurbiprofen, a nonsteroid ant i-inflammatory drug (NSAID), used in eye drops, the specificity of rac emic flurbiprofen and the enantiomers S(+) and R(-) flurbiprofen in th eir inhibitory effect on COX-1 was studied, using bovine iris/ciliary body as source of the enzyme. S(+) is 100 times more potent in COX-1 i nhibition than R(-). The measured effect of R(-) is not caused by meta bolic inversion of inactive R(-) to active S(+) during the assay.