RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate if L(+)-lactate (lactate) can be used as a marker of progression of joint inflammation in comparison with a reference marker, prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)), and to analyse implications for drug treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The assessment of the inflammation time course and the treatment efficacy studies were performed on two occasions. At specific time points, synovial fluid was extracted from Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 87) challenged with either carrageenan (Cg) or Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) or from six non-inflamed rats. Naproxen (7.5 or 30 micromol/kg) or rofecoxib (30 micromol/kg) was administered per os 2 h post Cg or at 48 h post FCA. Levels of PGE(2) and lactate were assessed either by immuno-assay or by colorimetric assay. RESULTS: Increased levels of both markers were detected following Cg or FCA injection. Pharmacological treatments resulted in lower concentrations of PGE(2) whereas levels of lactate remained unaffected compared to the vehicle-treated group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that lactate may be useful as an additional biomarker of inflammatory processes, especially for monitoring the non-cox-inhibitor sensitive cascade.