Effect of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs on immune function.

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) have been thought to act by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins. Until recently, prostaglandins have been considered to be mainly proinflammatory compounds, responsible for pain, increased blood flow, and edema. It has more lately been realized that prostaglandins, particularly PGE2, have important immunoregulatory properties. Thus NSAID, by inhibiting PGE2 production, modulate immune responses in vitro and in vivo. One or more of these immunomodulating effects of NSAID may play a role in their efficacy as arthritis medications. The purpose of this paper is to review the immunologic role of PGE2 and the immunologic effects of NSAID.