NSAID zaltoprofen improves the decrease in body weight in rodent sickness behavior models: proposed new applications of NSAIDs (Review)

In infectious diseases and during inflammation, anorexia, loss of body weight, malaise, fatigue and depression are induced. These symptoms are correctively called 'sickness behaviors', and the central actions of cytokines play a role in their induction. The loss of body weight in cancer cachexia is also a result of development of sickness behaviors. It has been reported that the administration of NSAID ibuprofen to patients with cancer cachexia improves the loss in body weight. We studied the effect of NSAID on the loss of body weight by using rodent sickness behavior models. We have reported that sickness behaviors such as anorexia, decrease in body weight, and loss of locomotor activity are induced in concanavalin A (Con A)-induced mouse hepatitis and carbon tetrachloride-induced rat hepatitis. Zaltoprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) causes potent inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 with fewer side effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Zaltoprofen improves the loss in body weight in both Con A-treated mice and carbon tetrachloride-treated rats. These results suggest the possible application of zaltoprofen for the treatment of sickness behaviors including loss of body weight occurring in cancer cachexia.