Abstract
Healers have used plants containing salicylates to alleviate pain, infl ammation and fever for millennia. The clinical and commercial success of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) prompted the development of the plethora of non-steroidal anti-infl ammatory drugs (NSAIDs) available today. Although commonplace, there is a danger that therapeutic familiarity can breed toxicological contempt. NSAIDs can cause serious, even life-threatening gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and other side effects. The risk of adverse events prompted the search for better-tolerated alternatives, including topical preparations. Despite some initial scepticism, a growing body of clinical and pharmacological evidence suggests that topical NSAIDs offer an effective and well-tolerated treatment for several conditions that produce chronic or acute pain. This article briefl y describes the history of NSAIDs and how they work, before focusing on the use of topical NSAIDs as a therapeutic option.
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