Interaction of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) with Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS): Possible Biomedical Implications

The present chapter deals on the interaction of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), diflunisal, indomethacin, meloxicam, tenoxicam and piroxicam with reactive oxygen species (ROS) photogenerated in aqueous solution by the vitamin riboflavin employed as a dye sensitizer. Simple techniques as substrate and oxygen consumption and more sophisticated time-resolved spectroscopic methods were employed for the kinetic and mechanistic evaluation of the deactivation of the in situ generated ROS singlet molecular oxygen (O2ðΔgÞ), superoxide radical anion (O 2 ) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2Þ by the mentioned NSAIDs. Results could be prudently extrapolated to a possible action of NSAIDs in the retardation or inhibition of neuroinflammatory disorders, in which oxidative agents such as ROS were found to be upregulated. Despite the potential benefit, some adverse effects in humans reported in relation with high doses of NSAIDs alert about the cares that have to be taken about their use.