COX-2 inhibitor
noun
: any of a class of drugs used to treat the pain and inflammation of arthritis by selectively blocking the variant of cyclooxygenase causing these symptoms
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Celebrex is a selective COX-2 inhibitor that targets inflammation with fewer gastrointestinal side effects, whereas ibuprofen is a nonselective NSAID that inhibits COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes.
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T'keyah Bazin, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 11 Sep. 2024
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T'keyah Bazin, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 11 Sep. 2024
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“COX-2 inhibitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/COX-2%20inhibitor. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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COX-2 inhibitor
noun
variants
also COX-2 blocker
: any of a class of drugs (as celecoxib) that are NSAIDs which selectively block the isoform COX-2 but not the isoform COX-1 of cyclooxygenase and are used chiefly to relieve the pain and inflammation of arthritis while minimizing gastrointestinal side effects
COX-2 inhibitors, as their name implies, were designed to block just the inflammatory functions of the COX-2 enzyme, leaving the stomach-protecting functions of the COX-1 form intact.—Alice Park, Time
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