Indomethacin or flurbiprofen treatment of periodontitis in beagles: Effect on crevicular fluid arachidonic acid metabolites compared with effect on alveolar bone loss

The effect of two non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, indomethacin and flurbiprofen, on the progression of alveolar bone loss and on the crevicular fluid (CF) levels of four arachidonic acid metabolites was compared in 16 beagle dogs over a 12‐month period. Standardized radiographs were used to measure the rate of bone loss. Radioimmunoassay was used to measure CF levels of PGE 2 , PGF 2α , TxB 2 and 6K‐PGF 1α . Following a 6‐month pretreatment baseline period, 5 dogs were dosed daily with 1.0 mg/kg indomethacin, 5 dogs were dosed daily with 0.02 mg/kg flurbiprofen, and 6 dogs were dosed with empty gelatin capsules for a 6‐month period. With the administration of either indomethacin or flurbiprofen. the CF levels of PGE 2 , PGF 2α , and TxB 2 were similarly significantly decreased; 6K‐PGF 1α levels were not altered. Indomethacin and flurbiprofen did not have a similar effect on reducing the rate of alveolar bone loss. Flurbiprofen significantly decreased rate of bone loss from baseline whereas indomethacin did not. The data indicate that indomethacin and flurbiprofen inhibit CF arachidonic acid metabolite levels in a similar manner, but not rate of bone loss. The data suggest that flurbiprofen's striking effect on inhibiting rate of bone loss cannot be solely attributed to simple cyclooxygenase inhibition with a reduction in CF prostaglandin levels.