Meloxicam, a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase 2, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with an improved side-effects profile in terms of gastrointestinal toxicity, has been found to stimulate hematopoiesis in whole-body gamma-irradiated mice. A distinct corroboration of this positive action of meloxicam is an enhancement of the recovery of hematopoietic progenitor cells committed to granulocyte-macrophage and erythroid development, which has been demonstrated in sublethally irradiated animals treated with meloxicam at a dose of 20 mg/kg administered intraperitoneally either singly 1 h before irradiation or repeatedly after radiation exposure. The results suggest that meloxicam can be added to the list of biological response modifiers that can be used in the treatment of hematopoietic damage induced by ionizing radiation.

Institute of Biophysics Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Laboratory of Experimental Hamatology Brno Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

Brief Story on Prostaglandins, Inhibitors of their Synthesis, Hematopoiesis, and Acute Radiation Syndrome

Hematological profile of untreated or ionizing radiation-exposed cyclooxygenase-2-deficient mice

Pharmacological Modulation of Radiation Damage. Does It Exist a Chance for Other Substances than Hematopoietic Growth Factors and Cytokines?

Agonist of the adenosine A3 receptor, IB-MECA, and inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2, meloxicam, given alone or in a combination early after total body irradiation enhance survival of γ-irradiated mice

Stimulatory action of cyclooxygenase inhibitors on hematopoiesis: a review