A double-blind trial was carried out in 40 patients with various inflammatory syndromes to assess the effectiveness and tolerance of
protacine, a new
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Twenty in-patients with
arthritis or
arthrosis localized to the hip or knee were given either 150 mg
protacine or 50 mg
indomethacin 3-times daily, orally, for 10 days on average. Twenty patients (10 in-patients and 10 out-patients) with inflammatory disorders in different locations were given either 150 mg
protacine or 200 mg
oxyphenbutazone, 3-times daily, orally, for 18 days on average. Assessments were made before and
after treatment of
pain severity and, in the first group, of joint mobility measured in degrees of joint movement. Laboratory tests were also carried out. Side-effects were scored and reported. Except for
indomethacin in the case of joint mobility, all three drugs resulted in significant improvement in the conditions tested. There were no changes in the laboratory parameters tested and only 1 patient on
protacine and 1 on
oxyphenbutazone reported side-effects, namely slight gastric discomfort and moderate
headache, respectively. Two patients on
indomethacin dropped out because of severe epigastric
pain, and 2 others reported severe epigastric
pain but treatment was continued. These preliminary results suggest that
protacine may be at least as effective and better tolerated than
indomethacin and
oxyphenbutazone in such patients with acute and chronic inflammatory disorders.