Influence of 2,4-tetra-O-methyl-furfurylidene-sorbitol (MSF) on carrageenan-induced inflammation and anti-inflammatory and toxic effects of indomethacin in rats.

The influence of the free radical scavenger 2,4-tetra-O-methyl-furfurylidene-sorbitol (MSF) on the carrageenan-induced hind-paw inflammation in rats as well as its influence on the anti-inflammatory and toxic activities of indomethacin is evaluated in comparison with thiola, thioctic acid, silymarin, reduced glutathione and propylgallate. MSF has been previously shown to prevent, in rats, the liver damaging effects of CCl4, ethionine, allylic alcohol and amanita phalloides row extracts. MSF, but not the other scavengers, exhibits moderate anti-inflammatory properties and markedly potentiates the anti-inflammatory activity indomethacin. Further MSF, but not the other scavengers, reduces some expressions of indomethacin toxicity such as gastric mucosal damage, intestinal hemorrhage and peritoneal fluid accumulation and ensuing death. Since MSF shares a number of pharmacological properties with vitamin E, which also increases indomethacin anti-inflammatory activity while reducing indomethacin toxicity, it is suggested that MSF has this for its vitamin E-like activity perhaps as a result of altering the arachidonic acid cascade.