Connective tissue activation. IV. Regulatory effects of antirheumatic drugs

Cortisol, phenylbutazone, indomethacin, acetylsalicylic acid, meclofenamic acid, flufenamic acid and mefanamic acid were potent inhibitors of connective tissue activation, especially if introduced into synovial cultures within 2 hours of initiation of the activation process. Colchicine, chloroquine and gold thiomalate were ineffective, while hydroxychloroquine and sodium salicylate exhibited modest inhibitory capacity. Most of the active agents exhibited suppressive capacity at concentrations similar to those used clinically. The suppressive capacity of the various drugs was reduced 20 to 60% by the presence of serum. Antirheumatic drugs do not appear to alter the activity of the stimulatory connective tissue activating peptide molecule itself, but may act by interfering with the transcriptional and translational components of the connective tissue activation sequence.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/37722/1/1780150506_ftp.pd