ANTI‐INFLAMMATORY AND RELATED PROPERTIES OF 4‐(<i>P</i>‐BIPHENYLYL)‐3‐HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID

Abstract

In recent years a variety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds of differing chemical types has been introduced for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. Such compounds include pyrazolones, anthranilic acids, indoles and substituted phenyl or phenoxyacetic acids. The synthesis and biological testing of a series of substituted phenyl and phenoxybutyric acids as potential anti-inflammatory agents led to the discovery of a high degree of activity in 4-(p-biphenylyl)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (I; BDH 7538) (Barron, Bysouth, Clarke, Copley, Stephenson, Vallance & Wild, unpublished results). The anti-inflammatory and related properties of this compound have been compared with those of phenylbutazone, indomethacin and aspirin. The results of these comparisons are reported below.