Ketorolac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, acting as a nonselective COX inhibitor, with IC 50 s of 20 nM for COX-1 and 120 nM for COX-2.
Ketorolac tromethamine (0.4%) causes nearly complete inhibition on LPS endotoxin-induced increases in FITC-dextran in the anterior chamber, and increases in aqueous PGE2 concentrations in the aqueous humor in rabbits. Ketorolac (30 mg/kg, i.v.) rapidly reverses hyperalgesia in rats. Ketorolac also reduces carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia and paw PG production, and causes reduction in PGE2 levels in rats. Ketorolac (4 mg/kg/day, p.o.) has no detrimental effect in the volume fraction of bone trabeculae formed inside the alveolar socket in rats. Ketorolac (60 μg/10 μL) reduces the histological changes such as ischemic cell death, including cytoplasmic eosinophilia with disintegration of cytoarchitecture and nuclear pyknosis in rats. Ketorolac also effectively reduces neuronal death and improves hindlimb motor function, and the long-term survival is similar to that in the control group.