What are COX-2 Inhibitors?
“COX” stands for cyclooxygenase, an enzyme that controls inflammation. This enzyme was discovered in 1976, but it was not until 1991 that scientists realized that there were actually 2 enzymes which they named COX-1 and COX-2. COX-2 is the enzyme that is found mostly at sites of inflammation, while COX-1 has other functions in the body, like maintaining the stomach lining. That is why drugs like asprin which are non-selective and inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2 are irritating to the stomach. COX-2 inhibitors are selective in that they mostly inhibit only the production of COX-2 which is actually the enzyme that causes the inflammation. COX-2 inhibitors are an integral component of MaXXiRub.
