Cyclooxygenase Activities
| COX | Expression | Function | Inhibitors |
| COX 1 | constitutively | organ pain, platelet function, stomach protection | NSAIDs including aspirion |
| COX 2 | induced by growth factors, neurotransmitters, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, injury. Constitutively in brain, kidney | Inducible COX2: inflammation, pain, fever Constitutive COX2: synaptic plasticity |
NSAIDs, COX 2 inhibitors including celecoxib (Celobrex ) which has few GI problems associated with its use |
| COX 3 | constitutively, high in brain, heart | pain pathways, not inflammation pathways | acetaminophen (no GI problems, great fever reducer), some NSAIDs |