Summary
The effect of niflumic acid on hyaluronic acid and proteoglycan metabolism of human cartilage cells was investigated in vitro. Cartilage cells were obtained from five different donors. Niflumic acid levels used in the test systems ranged from 0 to 22 μgr/ml and were comparable to serum concentrations in humans after oral intake. Niflumic acid increased the synthesis rates of proteoglycan in some batches of isolated and monolayer-cultured chondrocytes. The effect on hyaluronate synthesis was less pronounced. The fact that this increase in the synthesis of proteoglycan was restricted to some of the donors whereas isolated cells or tissue samples from other individuals remained unaffected illustrates the heterogeneity of different human donors. Depression of proteoglycan synthesis in the presence of the drug was never observed.
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Verbruggen, G., Veys, E.M., Malfait, A.M. et al. Proteoglycan metabolism in isolated chondrocytes from human cartilage. Influence of niflumic acid. Clin Rheumatol 9, 32–41 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02030238
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02030238