Effects of aspirin, indomethacin, flufenamic acid and paracetamol on prostaglandin output from rat stomach and renal papilla in‐vitro and ex‐vivo

The effects of aspirin, indomethacin, flufenamic acid and paracetamol on prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis were studied in whole cell preparations of rat renal papilla and stomach in‐vitro and ex‐vivo. In the ex‐vivo experiments a low dose aspirin was a potent inhibitor of PGE output from the stomach but not the renal papilla, while in‐vitro renal PGE output was inhibited by aspirin to a greater extent than gastric PGE. Indomethacin and flufenamic acid inhibited both renal papillary and gastric PGE outputs in‐vitro and ex‐vivo. Paracetamol enhanced PGE output from the stomach more than twice ex‐vivo, and to a lesser extent in‐vitro. It also augmented PGE output from the papilla ex‐vivo but not in‐vitro. In view of the possible contribution of cellular organization and pharmacokinetic processes to the ultimate effect, it is suggested that studies on the effects of anti‐inflammatory and antipyretic agents on PG biosynthesis should not be restricted to fully in‐vitro systems.