Meloxicam, a cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor, supports hematopoietic recovery in gamma-irradiated mice.

Meloxicam, a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase 2, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with an improved side-effects profile in terms of gastrointestinal toxicity, has been found to stimulate hematopoiesis in whole-body gamma-irradiated mice. A distinct corroboration of this positive action of meloxicam is an enhancement of the recovery of hematopoietic progenitor cells committed to granulocyte-macrophage and erythroid development, which has been demonstrated in sublethally irradiated animals treated with meloxicam at a dose of 20 mg/kg administered intraperitoneally either singly 1 h before irradiation or repeatedly after radiation exposure. The results suggest that meloxicam can be added to the list of biological response modifiers that can be used in the treatment of hematopoietic damage induced by ionizing radiation.