Cyclooxygenase

Cyclooxygenase (COX), officially known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS), is an <a href="/facts/Enzyme/DSI1Fh7y">enzyme</a> (specifically, a family of <a href="/facts/Isozyme/WE3tbEhf">isozymes</a>, <a href="/facts/Enzyme_Commission_number/Y5GNLRKX">EC</a> <a href="https://enzyme.expasy.org/EC/1.14.99.1">1.14.99.1</a>) that is responsible for biosynthesis of <a href="/facts/Prostanoid/9wfXCn6Y">prostanoids</a>, including <a href="/facts/Thromboxane/ympIPwD5">thromboxane</a> and <a href="/facts/Prostaglandin/kIKw0gDj">prostaglandins</a> such as <a href="/facts/Prostacyclin/476YKITj">prostacyclin</a>, from <a href="/facts/Arachidonic_acid/7fMTra6z">arachidonic acid</a>. A member of the <a href="/facts/Animal_heme-dependent_peroxidases/AwU9Kdrq">animal-type heme peroxidase</a> family, it is also known as prostaglandin G/H synthase. The specific reaction catalyzed is the conversion from arachidonic acid to <a href="/facts/Prostaglandin_H2/PuKWvIQL">prostaglandin H2</a> via a short-living <a href="/facts/Prostaglandin_G2/MMFzJwjN">prostaglandin G2</a> intermediate.
<a href="/facts/Pharmaceutical_drug/h9mhwWP2">Pharmaceutical</a> inhibition of COX can provide relief from the symptoms of <a href="/facts/Inflammation/Ura86MIy">inflammation</a> and <a href="/facts/Pain/70E79oUn">pain</a>. <a href="/facts/Nonsteroidal_anti-inflammatory_drug/coIkzl4s">Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs</a> (NSAIDs), such as <a href="/facts/Aspirin/opMK4qLk">aspirin</a> and <a href="/facts/Ibuprofen/vsKBTfVl">ibuprofen</a>, exert their effects through inhibition of COX. Those that are specific to the <a href="/facts/COX-2/VMWBjyN8">COX-2</a> isozyme are called <a href="/facts/COX-2_inhibitor/UpxLSTyN">COX-2 inhibitors</a>. The active metabolite (<a href="/facts/AM404/MpBygfQU">AM404</a>) of <a href="/facts/Paracetamol/SNDfQWcf">paracetamol</a> is a COX inhibitor, a fact to which some or all of its <a href="/facts/Analgesic/xLj4XBcq">therapeutic effect</a> has been attributed.
In medicine, the <a href="/facts/Gene_nomenclature/IYLpdHbP">root symbol</a> "COX" is encountered more often than "PTGS". In <a href="/facts/Genetics/bu8wne0A">genetics</a>, "PTGS" is officially used for this family of <a href="/facts/Gene/e1swwPY6">genes</a> and <a href="/facts/Protein/Jxmagu3E">proteins</a> because the root symbol "COX" was already used for the <a href="/facts/Cytochrome_c_oxidase/U67QVCv8">cytochrome c oxidase</a> family. Thus, the two isozymes found in humans, <a href="/facts/PTGS1/obt43Mow">PTGS1</a> and <a href="/facts/PTGS2/VMWBjyN8">PTGS2</a>, are frequently called COX-1 and COX-2 in medical literature. The names "prostaglandin synthase (PHS)", "prostaglandin synthetase (PHS)", and "prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthetase (PES)" are older terms still sometimes used to refer to COX.

Cyclooxygenase open-in-new

Cyclooxygenase