Background: Acute renal colic is excruciatingly painful event, opioid analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs remain the mainstay of treatment for acute renal colic. This study compares diclofenac and lornoxicam in their efficacy to relieve pain of renal origin. Methods: Prospective, randomized, double blind clinical study including eighty patients with renal pain admitted in emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Parameters were observed at baseline and after 15, 30, 60, 180 minutes and 5hrs of drug treatment. The efficacy of the drug was measured by observing: Pain score, onset & duration of action, rescue drug use, global patient and physician impression. Results: Both drugs are effective in relieving pain of renal origin (p<0.05) and maintaining it over time as well. When decrease in value of pain score compared between two groups at various interval there was statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in pain score only at 15 minutes in lornoxicam group showing this slightly more effective in early phase compared to diclofenac. In either group there is no statistically significant difference regarding onset of action, duration of action and side effect profile. Conclusions: Both the drugs are equally effective and safe in renal colicky pain with added advantage of lornoxicam being more effective in early period. [Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2013; 2(2.000): 193-198

Lornoxicam is a member of the oxicam group of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), producing analgesic and antipyretic effects through the non-selective inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase-1 and -2. Besides its inhibitory effect on COX1 and COX-2 peripheral receptors, is also increases endogenous dinorphin and beta-endorphin levels promoting central analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Recently, lornoxicam has been introduced in Indian market in oral, intravenous and intramuscular formulations. Lornoxicam is completely absorbed after oral administration, reaching peak plasma concentrations of 280 mg/L within 2.5 hours after a 4 mg dose. After intramuscular injection maximum plasma concentrations are achieved after approximately 20-25 minutes. Lornoxicam is extensively metabolished in liver by cytochrome P4502DC9 to inactive metabolite 5'-hydroxy-lornoxicam. The mean elimination half life is 3 to 4 hours. There is plenty of literature available on the effect of lornoxicam on chronic and acute pain management. These preliminary finding require confirmation in further comparative studies.