Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used for pain relief but show varied additional effects such as causing or preventing cardiac disease, asthma, or even cancer. Researchers at Yale University aimed at understanding the mechanism leading to such effects in cell cultures and mice and report interesting findings. The findings suggest that some NSAIDs such as indomethacin and ibuprofen don’t just inhibit certain enzymes, but also activate a protein called “ nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 ” (NRF2).
This factor is anti-inflammatory but also plays a role in processes such as: Metabolism Immune response Aging and longevity Cellular stress reduction The study suggests that the activation of NRF2 may be associated with the unexplained effects of common NSAIDs. Some adverse reactions of these NSAIDs such as rashes, exacerbating hives, and worsening of allergies…
