Diflunisal

Diflunisal
Systematic (IUPAC) name
2',4'-difluoro-4-hydroxybiphenyl-3-carboxylic acid
Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com monograph
MedlinePlus a684037
Pregnancy
category
  • AU: C
  • US: C (Risk not ruled out)
Routes of
administration		 Oral
Legal status
Legal status
  • AU: S4 (Prescription only)
  • UK: POM (Prescription only)
  • US: ℞-only
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 80-90%
Protein binding >99%
Metabolism Hepatic
Biological half-life 8 to 12 hours
Excretion Renal
Identifiers
CAS Number 22494-42-4 YesY
ATC code N02BA11 (WHO)
PubChem CID 3059
IUPHAR/BPS 7162
DrugBank DB00861 YesY
ChemSpider 2951 YesY
UNII 7C546U4DEN YesY
KEGG D00130 YesY
ChEBI CHEBI:39669 YesY
ChEMBL CHEMBL898 YesY
PDB ligand ID 1FL (PDBe, RCSB PDB)
Chemical data
Formula C13H8F2O3
Molar mass 250.198 g/mol
  (verify)

Diflunisal is a salicylic acid derivative with analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. It was developed by Merck Sharp & Dohme in 1971 after showing promise in a research project studying more potent chemical analogs of aspirin.[1] It was first sold under the brand name Dolobid, marketed by Merck & Co., but generic versions are now widely available. It is classed as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and is available in 250 mg and 500 mg tablets.

Mechanism of action

Like all NSAIDs, diflunisal acts by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins,[2] hormones which are involved in inflammation and pain. Diflunisal also has an antipyretic effect, but this is not a recommended use of the drug. Though diflunisal has an onset time of 1 hour, and maximum analgesia at 2 to 3 hours, the plasma levels of diflunisal will not be steady until repeated doses are taken.[3] The long plasma half-life is a distinctive feature of diflunisal in comparison to similar drugs. To increase the rate at which the diflunisal plasma levels become steady, a loading dose is usually used. It is primarily used to treat symptoms of arthritis,[4] and for acute pain following oral surgery, especially removal of wisdom teeth.[5]

Effectiveness of diflunisal is similar to other NSAIDs, but the duration of action is twelve hours or more. This means fewer doses per day are required for chronic administration. In acute use, it is popular in dentistry when a single dose after oral surgery can maintain analgesia until the patient is asleep that night.

Medical uses

Amyloidosis

Both diflunisal[6][7] and several of its analogues[8] have been shown to be inhibitors of transthyretin-related hereditary amyloidosis, a disease which currently has few treatment options. Phase I trials have shown the drug to be well tolerated,[9] with a small Phase II trial (double-blind, placebo-controlled, 130 patients for 2 years) in 2013 showing a reduced rate of disease progression and preserved quality of life.[10] However a significantly larger Phase III trial would be needed to prove the drugs effectiveness for treating this condition.

Side effects

Gastrointestinal

The inhibition of prostaglandins has the effect of decreasing the protection given to the stomach from its own acid. Like all NSAIDS, this leads to an increased risk of stomach ulcers, and their complications, with long-term use. Elderly users of diflunisal are at greater risk for serious GI events.

Cardiovascular

Ear, nose, throat, and eye

Central nervous system

Skin

Contraindications

Cautions

Overdose

Deaths that have occurred from diflunisal usually involved mixed drugs and or extremely high dosage. The oral LD50 is 500 mg/kg. Symptoms of overdose include coma, tachycardia, stupor, and vomiting. The lowest dose without the presence of other medicines which caused death was 15 grams. Mixed with other medicines, a death at 7.5 grams has also occurred. Diflunisal usually comes in 250 or 500 mg, making it relatively hard to overdose by accident.

References

  1. ↑ Adams, S. S. (1999). "Ibuprofen, the propionics and NSAIDs: Personal reflections over four decades". Inflammopharmacology 7 (3): 191–197. doi:10.1007/s10787-999-0002-3. PMID 17638090.
  2. ↑ Wallace, J. L. (1 October 2008). "Prostaglandins, NSAIDs, and Gastric Mucosal Protection: Why Doesn't the Stomach Digest Itself?". Physiological Reviews 88 (4): 1547–1565. doi:10.1152/physrev.00004.2008. PMID 18923189.
  3. ↑ Tempero, KF; Cirillo, VJ; Steelman, SL (Feb 1977). "Diflunisal: a review of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, drug interactions, and special tolerability studies in humans.". British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 4 Suppl 1: 31S–36S. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.1977.tb04511.x. PMID 328032.
  4. ↑ Brogden, RN; Heel, RC; Pakes, GE; Speight, TM; Avery, GS (Feb 1980). "Diflunisal: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic use in pain and musculoskeletal strains and sprains and pain in osteoarthritis.". Drugs 19 (2): 84–106. doi:10.2165/00003495-198019020-00002. PMID 6988202.
  5. ↑ Lawton, GM; Chapman, PJ (Aug 1993). "Diflunisal--a long-acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. A review of its pharmacology and effectiveness in management of postoperative dental pain.". Australian dental journal 38 (4): 265–71. doi:10.1111/j.1834-7819.1993.tb05494.x. PMID 8216032.
  6. ↑ Tojo, Kana; Sekijima, Yoshiki; Kelly, Jeffery W.; Ikeda, Shu-ichi. "Diflunisal stabilizes familial amyloid polyneuropathy-associated transthyretin variant tetramers in serum against dissociation required for amyloidogenesis". Neuroscience Research 56 (4): 441–449. doi:10.1016/j.neures.2006.08.014.
  7. ↑ Kingsbury, J. S.; Laue, T. M.; Klimtchuk, E. S.; Theberge, R.; Costello, C. E.; Connors, L. H. (6 March 2008). "The Modulation of Transthyretin Tetramer Stability by Cysteine 10 Adducts and the Drug Diflunisal: DIRECT ANALYSIS BY FLUORESCENCE-DETECTED ANALYTICAL ULTRACENTRIFUGATION". Journal of Biological Chemistry 283 (18): 11887–11896. doi:10.1074/jbc.M709638200.
  8. ↑ Adamski-Werner, Sara L.; Palaninathan, Satheesh K.; Sacchettini, James C.; Kelly, Jeffery W. (January 2004). "Diflunisal Analogues Stabilize the Native State of Transthyretin. Potent Inhibition of Amyloidogenesis". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 47 (2): 355–374. doi:10.1021/jm030347n. PMID 14711308.
  9. ↑ Berk, John L.; Suhr, Ole B.; Sekijima, Yoshiki; Yamashita, Taro; Heneghan, Michael; Zeldenrust, Steven R.; Ando, Yukio; Ikeda, Shu-ichi; Gorevic, Peter; Merlini, Giampaolo; Kelly, Jeffrey W.; Skinner, Martha; Bisbee, Alice B.; Dyck, Peter J.; Obici, Laura. "The Diflunisal Trial: Study accrual and drug tolerance". Amyloid 19 (S1): 37–38. doi:10.3109/13506129.2012.678509.
  10. ↑ Berk, JL; Suhr, OB; Obici, L; Sekijima, Y; Zeldenrust, SR; Yamashita, T; Heneghan, MA; Gorevic, PD; Litchy, WJ; Wiesman, JF; Nordh, E; Corato, M; Lozza, A; Cortese, A; Robinson-Papp, J; Colton, T; Rybin, DV; Bisbee, AB; Ando, Y; Ikeda, S; Seldin, DC; Merlini, G; Skinner, M; Kelly, JW; Dyck, PJ; Diflunisal Trial, Consortium (Dec 25, 2013). "Repurposing diflunisal for familial amyloid polyneuropathy: a randomized clinical trial.". JAMA 310 (24): 2658–67. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.283815. PMID 24368466.

External links

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