Anti-arthritis agents

Melanocortin peptides are potent anti-inflammatory agents displaying beneficial effects in diseases ranging from cardiovascular to arthritis to obesity to name a few. Within an inflammatory context, they have the ability to switch off early production of cytokines and at later stages they increase levels of anti-inflammatory proteins that lead to the resolution of the host inflammatory response potentially restoring homeostasis to the tissue. They could eventually be viewed as an alternative to glucocorticoids, as their mode of action often resembles that seen... 

Tamamura H, Fujisawa M, Hiramatsu K, et al. Identification of a CXCR4 antagonist, a T140 analog, as an anti-rheumatoid arthritis agent. FEBS Lett 2004 569(1—3) 99—104. 

Arylmethyl-9-hydroxypyrazino[l,2-f]pyrimidine-l,8-dione derivatives have been claimed as anti-HIV agents <2005W02005/016927, 2005W02005/087766> 6,8-dioxo-pyrazino[l,2-f]pyrimidine-3-carboxamides 164 (Y = NH) <2004W02004/014354> and their saturated analogues <2004USP2004/034009> have been claimed as matrix metalloproteinase MMP-13 enzyme inhibitors, useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. 

Glucocorticoids are potent anti-inflammatory agents that find multiple clinical uses, including treatment of arthritis and asthma. 

Rituximab has shown benefit in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis refractory to anti-TNF agents. It has been approved for the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis when combined with methotrexate. 

Indomethacin, cyclooxygenase, and hypertension Arthritis and hypertension frequently coexist, and certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents antagonize the action... 

Feverfew has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat rheumatoid arthritis. In vitro inhibition of prostaglandin, thromboxane, and leukotriene B4 synthesis as well as cytokine (TNF- and IL-1) expression have been reported. 

More recently it has been suggested that bioreductive technologies may have applications in the treatment of other disease states. For example, it has been suggested that the essential role of hypoxia in rheumatoid arthritis offers opportunities to specifically deliver anti-inflammatory agents to arthritic joints using bioreductive prodrugs. 

COX-II inhibitors consisting of methylsulfonylpyridinyl triazoles, (IV), prepared by Sakya (4) were effective anti-inflammatory agents and used in treating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis without concomitant gastrointestinal distress. 

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