Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs like
ibuprofen impede tissue repair by virtue of retarding
inflammation. The present study was undertaken to explore if linking of nitrooxyethyl
ester to
ibuprofen reverses its healing-depressant propensity. Nitrooxyethyl
ester of
ibuprofen (NOE-Ibu) was synthesized in our laboratory through a well-established synthetic pathway. NOE-Ibu was screened for its influence on collagenation,
wound contraction and epithelialization phases of healing, and
scar size of healed
wound in three
wound models, namely, incision, dead space, and excision
wounds. Besides, its influence on the oxidative stress (levels of GSH and
TBARS) was also determined in 10-day-old granulation tissue. NOE-Ibu was further screened for its antiinflammatory activity in rat paw
edema model. NOE-Ibu promoted collagenation (increase in breaking strength, granulation weight, and
collagen content),
wound contraction and epithelialization phases of healing. NOE-Ibu also showed a significant
antioxidant effect in 10-day-old granulation tissue as compared to
ibuprofen. Results vindicate that the esterification of
ibuprofen with nitrooxyethyl group reverses the healing-suppressant effect of
ibuprofen. The compound also showed equipotent antiinflammatory activity as
ibuprofen.