Centre staff
Professor Kim Rainsford
Emeritus professor of biomedical sciences
Phone 0114 225 3006
Email k.d.rainsford@shu.ac.uk
Research interests
Inflammatory diseases and their treatment.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
The development of new agents as well as the novel applications of anti-inflammatory drugs for the therapy of inflammatory conditions is a major aspect of research of this group. These studies include
- Understanding of the modes of action of novel compounds compared with established anti-inflammatory / analgesic drugs and natural products used in pain relief in arthritic diseases. Investigation of the mechanisms of effects of novel natural products with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-ulcer activities. These studies are in collaboration with Professor Michael Whitehouse, Griffiths University and University of Queensland, Brisbane; Professor Michael Roberts, University of Queensland, and University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
- Mechanisms of the effects of new compared with established non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), natural products and novel agents affecting intracellular signalling and epigenetic control of joint destruction. Cytokine-, RANK-ligand and Protease Activated Receptor-2 mediated osteoclast resorption that underlies the manifestations of bone destruction and cellular apoptosis in arthritic and periodontal diseases. These studies are in collaboration with Dr David Haynes and colleagues, Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Professor David Fairlie, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland (supported by an Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council Grant).
- Novel mechanisms of action on vascular functions and gastric mucosal injury of the new class of nitric oxide (NO)-donating NSAIDs [or CINODS], are being investigated in collaboration with Dr Brian Callingham, Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge and Dr Akram Khan.
- The mechanisms of the inhibitory effects of components of a novel celery seed extract on the growth and viability of the gastric pathogen, Helicobacter pylori, and other microbial organisms are being explored in collaboration with Dr Tom Smith. Patents have been granted to Professors Whitehouse, Rainsford and their colleagues showing the effectiveness of this celery seed extract in producing therapeutic effects and inhibiting the growth and viability of Helicobacter pylori.
Investigation of the mechanisms of the gastric mucosal injury from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the regulation of the metabolism of eicosanoids, nitric oxide as well as pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Anti-rheumatic drugs
- The physico-chemical features underlying the therapeutic actions of anti-arthritic drugs and the development of side-effects from NSAIDs. This work involves investigations on gastro-intestinal injury from these drugs. Also, the role of physico-chemical properties of NSAIDs and DMARDs in causing or preventing cartilage/bone destruction characteristic in arthritis and effects of these drugs in accelerating or ameliorating these joint destructive events.
- The actions of these drugs relevant are being explored in relation to their effects in osteoarthritis includes studies on their actions on the production and actions of inflammatory mediators (cytokines, eicosanoids, nitric oxide, oxyradicals) and activation of cellular (leucocyte) and immune reactions, produced in chronic inflammatory states. Novel natural product components and their derivatives designed to control these and other inflammatory events are being developed in collaboration with Dr Akram Khan of the BMRC.
Drug safety and efficacy
- Assessments of the importance of drug-disease or drug-drug interactions which limit the effectiveness of drug therapies, contribute to their pharmacological effects and their toxic effects. This work includes a study of the patho-physiological factors underlying adverse drug reactions, e.g. gastro-intestinal ulceration caused by anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Among the studies investigating the population effects of adverse drug reaction reports attributed to anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs employ statistical analysis and modelling of the adverse events reported in clinical trials and in various spontaneous reporting databases in order to derive causative relationships.
Health status of Chernobyl clean-up workers in Latvia
As part of a long-term study in collaboration with colleagues at the Riga Stradins University and Hospital (Riga, Latvia) investigations are being undertaken to establish the role of the development of sustained oxidant injury on the deteriorating health of the workers that participated in the clean-up of the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor site following the Chernobyl reactor disaster in 1986. Following initial observations showing substantial increases in oxidants and heavy metals and decline in selenium in the circulation of these patients, studies are ongoing designed to establish the efficacy and safety of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory therapies on their health in relation to biochemical changes in their major organ systems.
Recent publications
M.D. Cantley, D.P. Fairlie, P.M. Bartold, K.D. Rainsford, G.T. Le, A.J. Lucke, C.A. Holding, D.R. Haynes. Inhibitors of Histone Deacetylases in Class I and Class II Suppress Human Osteoclasts In Vitro. (PDF 425KB) J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 3233–3241, 2011.
K. D. Rainsford. Fifty years since the discovery of ibuprofen (PDF 172KB). Inflammopharmacol (2011) 19:293–297
Powanda MC, Rainsford KD (2010). A toxicological investigation of a celery seed extract having anti-inflammatory activity (PDF 182KB). Inflammopharmacology, Jun 22. [Epub ahead of print]
Rainsford KD (2010). Cardiovascular adverse reactions from NSAIDs are more than COX-2 inhibition alone . Rheumatology (Oxford), 49(5):834-836.
Skesters A, Zvagule T, Silova A, Rusakova N, Larmane L, Reste J, Eglite M, Rainsford KD, Callingham BA, Bake MA, Lece A (2010). Biochemical observations relating to oxidant stress injury in Chernobyl clean-up workers ('liquidators') from Latvia.(PDF 226KB) Inflammopharmacology, 18:17-23.
Rainsford KD (2009). Ibuprofen: pharmacology, efficacy and safety (PDF 1.05MB). Inflammopharmacology. 17:275-342.
Rainsford KD (2009). Importance of pharmaceutical composition and evidence from clinical trials and pharmacological studies in determining effectiveness of chondroitin sulphate and other glycosaminoglycans: a critique (PDF 109KB). J Pharm Pharmacol, 61:1263-1270.
Zhou Y, Taylor B, Smith TJ, Liu ZP, Clench M, Davies NW, Rainsford KD (2009). A novel compound from celery seed with a bactericidal effect against Helicobacter pylori. J Pharm Pharmacol, 61:1067-1077.
Eglite ME, Zvagule TJ, Rainsford KD, Reste JD, Curbakova EV, Kurjane NN (2009). Clinical aspects of the health disturbances in Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident clean-up workers (liquidators) from Latvia. Inflammopharmacology,17:163-169.
Rainsford KD, Kean WF, Ehrlich GE (2008). Review of the pharmaceutical properties and clinical effects of the topical NSAID formulation, diclofenac epolamine (PDF 304KB). Curr Med Res Opin, 24:2967-1992.
Kean WF, Rainsford KD, Kean IR (2008). Management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in the elderly: opinions on oral medication use. Inflammopharmacology,16:53-75.
Rainsford KD (2007). Anti-inflammatory drugs in the 21st century (PDF 609KB). Subcell Biochem. 42:3-27.
Bjarnason I, Scarpignato C, Takeuchi K, Rainsford KD (2007). Determinants of the short-term gastric damage caused by NSAIDs in man. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 26:95-106.
Rainsford KD, Whitehouse MW (2006). Paracetamol [acetaminophen]-induced gastrotoxicity: revealed by induced hyperacidity in combination with acute or chronic inflammation. Inflammopharmacology,14:150-154
Rainsford KD (2006). Current status of the therapeutic uses and actions of the preferential cyclo-oxygenase-2 NSAID, nimesulide. Inflammopharmacology, 14:120-137.
Skesters, A., Rozentale, B., Voicehovska, J., Zvagule, T., Rainsford, K.D., Silova, A., Rusakova, N., Petuhovs, V., Ivanchenko, L., Larmane, L. (2006). Fluorescence method for selenium determination in the blood plasma of bronchial asthma, hepatitis C virus, HCV/HIV coinfection diseases and post-Chernobyl Syndrome patients. Pol. J. Env. Studies, 15 (4A): 93-97.
Whitehouse MW, Rainsford KD (2006). Lipoxygenase inhibition: the neglected frontier for regulating chronic inflammation and pain. Inflammopharmacology. 14:99-102.
Rainsford KD, Members of the Consensus Report Group on Nimesulide (2006). Nimesulide -- a multifactorial approach to inflammation and pain: scientific and clinical consensus (PDF 467KB). Curr Med Res Opin, 22(6):1161-1170.
Rainsford KD (2006) Influenza ('Bird Flu'), Inflammation and anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs (PDF 143KB).
Bykov L, Palmen M, Rainsford KD, Lindros KO (2005). Chronic effects of celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, cause enhanced alcohol-induced liver steatosis in rats (PDF 1.84MB).
Rainsford KD (2005). The coxib controversies. Inflammopharmacology. 13(4): 333-341.
Mbvundula EC, Bunning RA and Rainsford KD (2005) Effects of cannabinoids on nitric oxide production by chondrocytes and proteoglycan degradation in cartilage. Biochem Pharmacol. 69(4):635-40.
Book chapters
Rainsford, K.D., Kean, I.R.L.and Kean, W.F. (2008). Gastro-intestinal complications of anti-rheumatic drugs. In: Handbook of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, Vol. 8., Chapter 18. Eds. J. Font., M. Ramos-Casals and J.Rhodes. Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, pp. 243-275.
Rainsford, K.D. (2006). The discovery and development of anti-inflammatory analgesic drugs. In: Discoveries in Gastroenterology: From Basic Science to Clinical Perspectives. Ed. G. Mószik. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, pp. 363-398.
Books
Rainsford KD (Ed) (2005). Nimesulide Actions and Uses. Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel
Rainsford KD (Ed) (2004). Aspirin and Related Drugs. Taylor and Francis / CRC Press, London and New York
