Design and Synthesis of 2-Phenoxynicotinic Acid Hydrazides as Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Agents

A series of 2‐phenoxynicotinic acid hydrazides were synthesized and evaluated for their analgesic and anti‐inflammatory activities. Several compounds having an unsubstituted phenyl/4‐pyridyl or C‐4 methoxy substituent on the terminal phenyl ring showed moderate to high analgesic or anti‐inflammatory activity in comparison to mefenamic acid as the reference drug. The compounds with highest anti‐inflammatory activity were subjected to in vitro COX‐1/COX‐2 inhibition assays and showed moderate to good COX‐1 and weak COX‐2 inhibition activities. Most of the currently on the market available NSAIDs show significant side effects in long term usage. To discover new safer anti‐inflammatory drugs, a series of 2‐phenoxynicotinic acid hydrazides were synthesized and evaluated for their analgesic and anti‐inflammatory activities.