Paul Smaglik | Apr 11, 1999 | 5 min read
UPSTREAM, DOWNSTREAM: Biochemical activity upstream of cyclooxygenase is better understood than reactions downstream of the enzyme. Cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke represent disparate destinations. But the pathogenic road leading to each passes through one enzyme: cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Because of that biochemical junction, a class of compounds called COX-2 inhibitors, originally designed as anti-inflammatory agents against arthritis, may have broader utility. The relationship betwe