Anti-inflammatory Effect of Flurbiprofen Tape Applied Percutaneously to Rats with Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis

The anti-inflammatory effect of flurbiprofen tape (FP-T) by topical application was investigated, and the findings were compared with the results of oral administration of flurbiprofen to adjuvant arthritic rats. The topical application of FP-T significantly suppressed both applied and non-applied hind paw edema, with a potency similar to that seen with the oral administration of flurbiprofen. Body weight also increased with these treatments. Plasma levels of flurbiprofen differed little between topical application of FP-T and oral administration of flurbiprofen. Gastric damage induced by topical application of FP-T was significantly less than that seen in case of oral administration of flurbiprofen. These results suggest that the anti-inflammatory effects of FP-T cannot be entirely explained by flurbiprofen permeating inflamed tissue below the application site; rather, flurbiprofen penetrating into the systemic circulation may explain these actions.