The effect of a COX-2 inhibitor (Celebra) on leukocytosis and cytokine response to high-force eccentric muscle damaging exercise

Authors

Truls Raastad, Norwegian School of Sport SciencesFollow

Abstract

Exercise-induced muscle damage is accompanied by an inflammation process characterized by leucocytosis, increased cytokine production of and infiltration of leukocytes in damaged areas (Paulsen et al. 2012). However, the precise orchestration of these responses is not known. One key regulator of inflammation, and also of muscle regeneration, is the cyklooxygenase (COX) pathway. Especially COX-2 activation is suggested to play an important role after exercised-induced muscle damage (Schoenfeld 2012). Consequently, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a COX-2 inhibitor on the acute inflammation after high-force eccentric exercise in young healthy males and females.

Thirty-three young males and females participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment. Seventy unilateral, voluntary, maximal eccentric actions with the elbow flexors were performed with one arm, and the other arm served as control. The celebra group was administered 400mg/day of celecoxib (Celebra®) for 9 days, with the first dose of 200 mg administered 45 min before exercise. The placebo group received identical pills containing lactose. Blood samples for cell counting and cytokine analysis (subgroup) were obtained before exercise and 0, 1, 5, 8.5, 24 and 48 hours after exercise. In a subsample of 10 subjects biopsies from both arms were obtained before exercise and 48 hours after exercise and analyzed for mRNA levels for IL-6 and TNFα.

Muscle damage was indicated by a ~50% reduction in maximal isometric elbow flexion torque, and also identified by direct measurements on muscle biopsies (Paulsen et al. 2009). The number of WBC increased more in the placebo group than in the celebra group immediately after exercise (41±20% vs. 26±14%, respectively, p

In conclusion, administration of 400 mg celecoxib per day significantly blunted neutrocytosis, monocytosis and the cytokine response after a bout of muscle damaging high-force eccentric exercise.

Recommended Citation

Raastad, Truls (2013) "The effect of a COX-2 inhibitor (Celebra) on leukocytosis and cytokine response to high-force eccentric muscle damaging exercise," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 10: Iss. 1, Article 12.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol10/iss1/12