Inhibition of arachidonic acid oxidation in vitro by vehicle components.

In this work, we observed that several vehicle components which are complex lipids inhibited the oxidation of arachidonic acid in the oxygen monitor assay. Inhibition of oxygen consumption in this assay, a relatively non-specific finding, may reflect inhibition of lipoxygenase and/or prostaglandin synthetase activity or possible sequestration of arachidonic acid. Theoretically, similar effects could occur in vivo. Consideration should be given to the formulation of vehicles which maximize the anti-inflammatory effects of vehicle components.